Latest Coronavirus News in Vietnam & Southeast Asia May 7
02:12
Number of
quarantined people in Vietnam on down trend
By 7:00 on
May 7, 20,942 people who have had close contact with Covid-19 patients or
entered Vietnam from epidemic-hit area have been quarantined.
Vietnam can offer world
lessons in COVID-19 containment
The nationwide implementation of effective prevention measures has seen Vietnam become one of only five countries globally to successfully bring the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) under control.
Returning to
school after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, students are required to
follow health recommendations, including washing their hands with
disinfectant solution and having their body temperature checked before
entering the classroom
This comes after Vietnam joins Greece, Slovenia, Jordan, and Iceland in being officially recognised internationally for both “flattening the curve” in terms of severely reducing COVID-19 cases, but also succeeding in treating patients, with the majority of cases enjoying a full recovery and successfully being reintegrated back into the community. This level of sustained success has enabled schools to reopen, businesses to resume operation, and people to go back to living their normal life.
Due to the
country’s large population and long border with China, it was initially
feared that Vietnam would be vulnerable to virus outbreaks in a similar
manner to the northern neighbour which was badly ravaged by the world’s first
COVID-19 cases.
Showing
great awareness of the danger posed by the spread of the infectious disease,
the country moved to take decisive steps to combat the virus at the early
stages of the outbreak. Indeed, its actions even took place before the World
Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public
Health Emergency of International Concern and ultimately have
contributed to the country reporting no COVID-19 deaths.
Vox, a news
and opinion website based in the United States, believes the Vietnamese
success in containing the epidemic can largely be put down to three combined
measures, including conducting mass testing, tracking down individuals who
COVID-19 cases came into contact with, and moving quickly to isolate
suspected cases.
The country
began its testing campaign as soon as three people who had recently returned
from Wuhan in China, the place of origin for the COVID-19, were confirmed to
be carrying the deadly virus.
At present
approximately 300,000 people have been tested. Despite the figure seeming
small in comparison to the millions of people tested in the US, it is a major
outlier in looking at how many people the government has tested per confirmed
case.
Mass testing
was first conducted for people arriving from areas hit by the COVID-19 and
other epicenters, in addition to those who had contact with suspected cases,
and those displaying symptoms of the virus.
The country
has been carrying out mass testing in hotspots or high-risk areas, including
dense markets in an effort to detect the early signs of the virus and nip in
the bud possible sources of infection.
The
government moved swiftly to suspend the majority of international flights
coming to and from badly affected nations. Upon landing in the country, all
passengers are now required to fill out a medical declaration form and have
their body temperature checked. Suspected cases are then transferred to
concentrated quarantine facilities for 14 days, whilst being provided with
free accommodation and meals.
Moreover,
the country has also launched numerous public communication campaigns which
are aimed at encouraging citizens to strictly follow preventive measures,
including the social distancing order, along with the health sector’s
recommendations.
With life
starting to return to normal in Vietnam with the reopening of business and
schools, Vox believes this indicates how successful an early and robust
response against the virus can be. In containing the COVID-19, the nation
didn’t use advanced technology or new methods, rather, it simply did the
ordinary things extraordinarily well.
Friendship Association
presents 80,000 face masks to Germany
The
Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association donated over 80,000 face masks to
Germany on May 6 as part of joint global efforts to combat the spread of the
novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The move
comes as part of a fundraising campaign that was originally launched by the
Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association to encourage its members to
participate in joint efforts to fight the potential spread of the
virus.
Upon
speaking during the handover ceremony, Minister of Planning and Investment
and Chairman of the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association Nguyen Chi Dung
expressed his joy at the nation’s ability to produce a sufficient number of
face masks to support other countries slow the spread of the COVID-19.
Minister Dung added that all countries globally should come together to make
concerted efforts in a bid to overcome this challenging period.
In his
address of thanks to the association, the German Ambassador to
Vietnam Guido Hildner outlined how the gift is a representation of
the close ties, solidarity, and friendship between the two nations, adding
that face masks remain a scarce commodity in Germany.
Most
notably, the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association's campaign to donate face
masks to the Central European country is just one of several initiatives
launched by the Vietnamese government in the COVID-19 battle.
Airlines allowed to operate
at full capacity, end seat distancing from 00:00 on May 7
The Civil
Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) has notified Vietnamese airlines
that seat distancing and restrictions on passenger numbers are to be
abolished from 00:00 on May 7.
Restrictions
on the number of flights between Hanoi, HCM City, and Da Nang will also be
removed.
The CAAV
earlier proposed the Ministry of Transport increase the frequency of domestic
flights from 00:00 on May 7, specifically 52 return flights on the Hanoi -
HCM City route, 20 on the Hanoi - Da Nang route, and 20 on the HCM City - Da
Nang route.
It also
asked for the medical quarantining of flight crews on international
flights./.
Third field hospital for
COVID-19 set up in Quang Ninh
Field hospital No.2 in Quảng Ninh Province's Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital was set up amid the COVID-19 fight. — Photo dantri.com.vn
The People's
Committee of Quảng Ninh Province have decided to establish the third field
hospital for treating COVID-19 patients to avoid overcrowding in existing
health centres.
The
committee announced on Thursday morning the new field hospital would be at Hạ
Long General Hospital in Hoành Bồ Ward, Hạ Long City.
The field
hospital will include four buildings and have a total of 350 patient beds.
The hospital
includes all specialised departments, including examination facilities,
treatment area, emergency department and rooms for surgical procedures, among
others.
According to
the provincial People's Committee, the field hospital No3 has the task of
screening, quarantine, and treating suspected moderate or mild cases, and
out-of-hospital quarantine cases (including Fl, F2 or F3) who have other
underlying diseases.
It also
transfers patients to higher-level hospitals for treatment and special
medical care in case the patients' status exceeds its capacity.
The hospital
must ensure the security, safety, allowances for patients, and doctors,
medical staff.
To fight the
COVID-19 pandemic, Quảng Ninh Province established two field hospitals, one
in Móng Cái City’s General Hospital and the other in the provincial
Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital.
Steering Committee: Vietnam
on top of COVID-19
Vietnam has
basically brought the COVID-19 pandemic under control, with production,
business, and daily activities now experiencing a “new normal”, Deputy Prime
Minister Vu Duc Dam told a meeting of the National Steering Committee for
COVID-19 Prevention and Control on May 6.
The disease
remains a complex matter outside of the country, however, with tens of
thousands of new infections and thousands of fatalities each day, Dam noted.
He stressed
the importance of maintaining close management over everyone entering the
country, to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
The Steering
Committee requested the military and public security and health sectors
continue consolidating all mechanisms and tools, especially those in
information technology, to immediately quarantine new cases in the community
as soon as they are detected.
Disease
prevention measures should be loosened based on scientific grounds, such as
the mode of transmission of the virus and the probabilities of pathogens in
the community.
According to
health experts, while it cannot be claimed that there are no pathogens in
Vietnam at this time, the probability of their existence is very low. Those
who test positive again cannot transmit it to others.
The Steering
Committee therefore asked the health sector to continue caring for and
monitoring patients as well as those given the all-clear, to ensure community
safety.
People must
continue to wear face masks in public, maintain a distance from others of at
least one metre, and regularly wash their hands with antibacterial soap or
sanitiser.
According to
the committee, students are not required to wear face masks in classrooms but
are advised to wear them during breaks and to avoid contact with friends in
other classes. Air conditioners can be used in classrooms but doors and
windows should be opened at certain times to facilitate air circulation.
The Steering
Committee also requested that offices, factories, supermarkets, markets,
hospitals, and restaurants maintain prevention measures.
Non-essential
services can resume, except for clubs and karaoke bars, if social distancing
measures can be ensured.
Meanwhile,
the committee said social distancing measures can be eased for public
passenger transport, including aviation, while other prevention measures must
be maintained.
Vietnam has reported no new COVID-19 infections within the community for 20 days in a row to the morning of May 6, the Steering Committee reported.
The national count still stands at 271 cases, of which 131 were
imported and quarantined upon arrival.
A total of
232 patients have recovered or been discharged from hospital, while the
remainder are being treated at centrally-run and provincial medical
facilities. Most are in a stable condition./.
Health Ministry, UNICEF
launch campaign on spreading kindness
The Ministry
of Health (MoH) and UNICEF Vietnam launched a media
campaign entitled “Kindness is Contagious” on May 6, to build solidarity
and spread kindness among young Vietnamese during and after
the COVID-19 pandemic.
The
month-long campaign will encourage people to share their artwork and videos
and voice their ideas on social media platforms. One of the main activities
will be discussions between policy makers, social media influencers, and
young people.
Head of the
Department of Communication and Emulation, Commendation at MoH, Nguyen Dinh
Anh, said that through the campaign young people can play a key role in
battling COVID-19 and help kindness spread faster and further.
The World
Health Organisation, UNESCO, TikTok Vietnam, and young artists such as singer
Min, the Ngot Band, rapper Suboi, illustrator Tamypu, fashionista Chau Bui,
actress Ninh Duong Lan Ngoc, and the Nha Nam Publishing House will also join
the campaign./.
Over 10 billion VND mobilised
for COVID-19 fight in Facebook campaign
More than 10
billion VND (nearly 427,000 USD) in cash and in kind was mobilised within two
weeks in support of medical workers, COVID-19 patients and people in
quarantine under the #SocialForGoodVN campaign, organisers said on May 6.
Carried out
by Facebook, the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC), Vietnamese artists,
partners and businesses, the #SocialForGoodVN livestream lasted for one hour
on Facebook on April 17, with over 15 million post reaches, some 5.4 million
views and more than 700 shares.
As part of
the programme, the campaign #ỞNhàLàNhất that aims to encourage people to stay
at home and share tips on household chores has also received an active
response from artists and Facebook users.
VRC Central
Committee President Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu thanked Facebook, artists, businesses
and the public for their efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,
saying their contributions will not only support medical workers but also
help to promote disease prevention and control activities, especially
communication efforts./.
Three weeks pass without new
COVID-19 infections in community
Vietnam
hasn’t recorded any new COVID-19 infections in the community for 21 straight
days, and the number of cases still stands at 271, the National Steering
Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said on May 7 morning.
Among the
total, 131 are imported cases, and they were put in quarantine upon their
arrival in the country.
So far, 232
patients or 86 percent have recovered from the coronavirus disease.
The 39
remainders are currently under treatment at central and provincial-level
health care establishments, and most of them are in stable condition. Sixteen
have tested negative for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once, and six
others negative at least twice.
Meanwhile,
there are 20,942 people kept in quarantine at present, including 169 at
hospitals, 6,469 at other quarantine facilities, and 14,304 at home./.
Vietnam among most successful
nations in curbing COVID-19: RoK newspaper
ChosunBiz, a
newspaper in the Republic of Korea, on May 6 run a story
highlighting Vietnam’s successes in containing the COVID-19
pandemic.
Vietnam
Television reported on April 29 that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc declared
Vietnam has basically put the COVID-19 outbreak under control, the first
country ever to do so in the world, the newspaper said.
The
statement was made about three months after the first positive case was
confirmed (January 22), marking a turning point in the global fight against
the pandemic, it said.
Vietnam is
among the most successful countries in curbing the disease, it wrote. The
country’s population is close to 100 million but it only reported 270
infections, including imported cases, and zero deaths.
The
Vietnamese government’s determination to combat the COVID-19 has
early earned strong trust from global investors, it said. Samsung Electronics
had to suspend operation in many of its factories around the world but
production has still remained in Vietnam./.
Thailand sees progress in
COVID-19 fight
Thailand
sees positive progress in its fight against the COVID-19 as it recorded only
one new case in the two consecutive days on May 5 and 6 – the lowest number
since March 9.
At the end
of May 6, the country confirmed 2,989 infections, including 55 fatalities. Of
the total, 2,761 patients have fully recovered.
Thai Prime
Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said that his country is considering the next step
to loosen lockdown restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the SARS-CoV-2.
The first step has been applied since May 3.
However, he
mentioned the possibility to limit the number of people entering commercial
centres at a certain time, and allow them to shop within 2 hours.
As the
COVID-19 situation in the country appears to have been brought under control
now, the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) has decided to let each
school decide whether they should reopen on July 1 or opt to use
distance-learning television and online learning.
Schools
wishing to open must first seek permission from their provincial governors.
If the risk of COVID-19 is very low in their area, normal classes may be
possible.
According to
Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan, some outdoor and extracurricular
activities will also be temporarily banned to eliminate the chance of viral
transmission./.
New COVID-19 cases rising in
Southeast Asia, Singapore hardest-hit
Singapore’s
Ministry of Health has confirmed 788 new COVID-19 infections in the country
as of May 6, taking the total count to 20,198, the highest in Southeast Asia.
Among the
new cases are 11 Singaporeans and permanent residents, while migrant workers
living in dormitories form the majority of the remaining cases.
From the
first positive case on January 23, Singapore took about 13 weeks to cross the
10,000 mark on April 22. But it took only two weeks for this figure to
double.
The novel
coronavirus cases in the Philippines have breached 10,000, as its Department
of Health reports 320 new cases on May 6. The total number of cases is now at
10,004.
The
department also reported 21 new deaths, raising the toll to 658.
Malaysia
reported 45 more COVID-19 cases the same day, putting the tally of infections
at 6,428. The death toll is now at 107.
Meanwhile,
Indonesia confirmed 367 new cases, bringing the number of positive ones to
12,438. A total of 895 COVID-19 patients have died so far.
Cambodia has
found no new case of the disease for 24 days in a row, according to the
country’s Health Ministry. The total number of positive cases thus remains at
122, with 120 recoveries.
The
Cambodian General Department of Customs and Excise has lifted the ban and
requirement for permission from the Ministry of Health to export all types of
masks, Phnom Penh Post reported.
The
government had stocked enough masks to be used for the pandemic in Cambodia,
it said. Some companies had produced masks for export to the US and the EU,
and lifting of the ban would help them, director Kun Nhem said./.
VOV/VNA/VNS/VNN
|
Thứ Năm, 7 tháng 5, 2020
Đăng ký:
Đăng Nhận xét (Atom)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét