Authorities urged to tighten control of border gates amid COVID-19 fears
VGP – The Steering Committee for COVID-19 Epidemic Prevention and Control on Wednesday urged competent authorities to tighten control of border gates amid complicated developments of the epidemic in several countries, including South Korea.
 |
|
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (right), Chairman of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Epidemic Prevention and Control presides over the inter-agency committee's meeting at the Government Headquarters on February 26, 2020. Photo: VGP |
>>> VN suspends entry of travelers from S. Korea’s COVID-19 affected areas
All Vietnamese nationals returning home from South Korea must be quarantined in accordance with the current regulations, the Committee ordered.
The Committee, established on January 30, also tasked local authorities to monitor health of those who entered Viet Nam over the last 14 days.
On February 25, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed a directive asking the foreign ministry to promptly inform South Korea, other countries and territories about Viet Nam’s measures to contain spread of the COVID-19 epidemic to the Southeast Asian country.
The measures include temporary suspension of entry into Viet Nam of people with recent travel records to the epidemic-affected areas.
Vietnamese who are living and working in South Korea, especially in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk should seriously follow instructions on epidemic prevention and control of the host country.
Incoming flights from South Korea’s affected areas shall land at Van Don airport (Quang Ninh province), Phu Cat airport (Binh Dinh province), and Can Tho aiport (Can Tho City).
As of 6:00 pm on Wednesday, more than 81,000 people contracted the virus in 41 countries and territories while death toll rose to 2,763, according to the Vietnamese ministry of health.
South Korea confirmed that infection cases approached 1,300 on Wednesday as health authorities started testing about 210,000 followers of a religious sect.
In Viet Nam, the last of the 16 COVID-19 patients confirmed so far exited hospital this morning.
The country is quarantining 31 others who have been suspected of contracting the virus and putting 5,474 people under health supervision due to close links with the suspected ones.
By Thuy Dung
