Vietnamese citizens returning from Singapore are quarantined in Soc Trang province (Photo: VNA)

The national count stands still at 1,096, including 691 locally transmitted cases, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

A total of 1,020 patients were given the all-clear as of October 5 morning. The fatalities are unchanged at 35.

Among the active patients, one has tested negative for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once, two twice and four thrice. There are no patients in critical conditions.

Some 16,360 people who had close contacts with COVID-19 patients or came from pandemic-hit areas are under health monitoring nationwide.

More Vietnamese citizens brought home safe and sound

Nearly 340 Vietnamese citizens were brought home from European and African countries in a repatriation flight conducted by the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on October 3-4.

The passengers on board the special flight included children under 18, the elderly, workers whose contracts have expired, students without accommodation due to dormitory closure, and those in difficult circumstances.

Vietnam’s representative offices in the host countries exerted efforts to help the passengers move to an airport in France’s Paris. The Vietnamese Embassy in France also sent staffs to help them with pre-departure procedures.

Security, safety and hygiene measures were rigorously taken during the flight to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Upon their arrival at Van Don Airport in northern Quang Ninh province, all the crew members and passengers were given medical check-ups and put under quarantine in line with regulations.

In the time to come, more repatriation flights will be arranged to bring Vietnamese citizens home, depending on their demand and domestic quarantine capacity.

Malaysia holds urgent meeting over spike in COVID-19 infections

Malaysia’s National Security Council convened a special meeting on October 3 after the number of COVID-19 infections in the country hit its highest level, reported by the national news agency Bernama.

After the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Senior Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government would not re-impose a nationwide Movement Control Order (MCO) to prevent the disease from spreading.

He said this was because most of the cases involved prison inmates in Kedah and Sabah, which can be considered as isolated.

The government would not enforce an inter-state or inter-district travel ban nationwide, as the number of positive cases in many states were still small and under control, the official added.

On October 2, Malaysia recorded 287 new COVID-19 infections, the highest number in a single day ever recorded since the beginning of the pandemic in the country.

Also on October 3, the Philippines’ Health Ministry reported 2,674 new infections, the highest daily increase in five days, and 62 additional deaths. The ministry said the total confirmed cases in the country have increased to 319,330, the highest in Southeast Asia, while deaths have reached 5,678, a third of which were recorded in the past 30 days.

Meanwhile, Singapore posted six new infections, the lowest daily figure since March 10. Of the new cases, one is a community infection and four are imported cases. In recent months, the number of new cases in the country fell significantly, with the authorities placing outbreaks at migrant workers' dormitories under control.

In Indonesia, 4,007 new coronavirus infections and 83 more deaths were reported, bringing the nation’s total infections to 299,506 and fatalities to 11,055./.

HCM City sets prices at quarantine hotels for arrivals

Authorities from HCM City, Vietjet and the Southern Airport Authority have announced quarantine fees and regulations on anyone entering the city during the COVID-pandemic, following disagreement from some airline passengers who did not want to be quarantined at a hotel as they had previously committed to do. 

Representatives of the city's Department of Health, Department of Tourism and Department of Information and Communications, as well as Vietjet Airlines and the Southern Airport Authority, spoke during a press conference in the city on Friday afternoon about the incident. 

Nguyễn Thúy Bình, deputy general director of Vietjet Airlines, said that on September 30 Vietjet flight VJ963 carried 158 passengers from Incheon, South Korea to Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City.

However, upon arrival, some passengers did not agree to be quarantined at the hotel. Before the flight, the airline representative had informed the passengers about quarantine regulations and necessary COVID tests, as well as the prices of hotels selected to be quarantine areas in HCM City.

“We informed them about the US$100 price per room for each night, and all the passengers agreed to the price before the flight. But when they arrived at Tân Sơn Nhất airport, some customers did not agree to the price," Bình said.

Đòan Quốc Bình, deputy director of the Southern Airport Authority, said that, after flight VJ963 landed, only three passengers agreed to the initial commitment they had made with Vietjet Airlines.

After the authorities intervened, 17 of the 158 passengers agreed to quarantine at designated hotels for VNĐ1.2 million (US$51) per day, and another 140 passengers were taken to a quarantine hospital in Cần Giờ District. One person with signs of chronic kidney failure was transferred to Nguyễn Tri Phương Hospital.

The city has two hotels used for cabin crews to quarantine and 940 rooms at eight hotels as paid quarantine places for people entering the city, according to Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, deputy director of the city’s department of Tourism.

About 700 rooms at these hotels are being used and the remaining 240 rooms are vacant. Most of them are 2-5 star hotels, with an average price of VNĐ1.2 to VNĐ5 million ($51 to $215) per room per night, which does not include fees for shuttle services, laundry or other services.

Phan Thanh Tâm, deputy director of the city Centre for Disease Control, said that arrivals could stay in one room for up to two persons at paid quarantine hotels.

To prepare for upcoming international flights to Việt Nam, city departments and agencies have proposed adding 16 hotels with a total of 1,025 rooms, which will be used for commercial flights. The rooms, which have been assessed, meet the regulations of quarantine areas and staff training.