With its typical characteristics, wet markets pose a high risk of virus infection

Localities throughout the capital have been requested to conduct rapid tests at a number of wholesale markets on April 18-19 in order to detect the potential spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Hanoi Mayor Nguyen Duc Chung was speaking at a meeting of the City’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on April 17. 

Chung noted that the nature of performing quick tests at various wholesale markets will greatly help to detect any COVID-19 cases and will allow authorities to quickly zone off certain areas to slow the spread of the disease if necessary.

Indeed, the testing method known as Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction is to be carried out on suspected cases in order for relevant bodies to receive confirmation on whether suspected cases are positive or negative for the virus.

The wholesale markets selected for the quick tests include Nga Tu So Market in Thanh Xuan district, Long Bien Market in Long Bien district, Hoang Mai fruit wholesale market, Ha Vy poultry wholesale market in Thuong Tin district, in addition to other seafood markets located around the capital.

With Hanoi remaining the country’s epicentre of the COVID-19 epidemic, mass testing is still considered a vital and effective method to prevent the transmission of the virus.

Vietnam has 21 more recovered COVID-19 patients, total at 198

Twenty-one Vietnamese patients with COVID-19 have recovered and were discharged from three treatment facilities across the country on April 17.

The new recovered patients have brought the country’s total patients being given the all-clear to 198, making up nearly 74 per cent of the total 268 COVID-19 patients in Việt Nam.

At the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, there are 17 recovered patients, including three canteen staff of Trường Sinh Service Company at Bạch Mai Hospital. All of them had at least two samples testing negative for SARS-CoV-2 and are in a stable health condition.

They include: Patient 108 (male, 19); Patient 128 (male, 20); Patient 133 (female, 65); Patient 139 (female, 24); Patient 169 (female, 47); Patient 172 (female, 35); Patient 173 (female, 43); Patient 174 (female, 57); Patient 183 (female, 43); Patient 191 (female, 36); Patient 213 (female, 40); Patient 217 (female, 25); Patient 219 (female, 59); Patient 221 (female, 24); Patient 223 (female, 29); Patient 242 (female, 34); and Patient 251 (male, 64).

At the General Hospital of Nho Quan District of Ninh Bình Province, the recovered patient is Patient 229, female, 30. She was admitted to the hospital in April. During treatment, she was tested three times and all tests were negative for SARS-CoV-2 on April 10, 12 and 14.

On Friday morning, three other patients, including Patient 105, Patient 106 and Patient 144, have recovered and were discharged from the Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital in Trà Vinh Province. All three patients tested negative three times for SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The remaining patients undergoing treatment are in a stable condition, except three severely ill patients undergoing treatment in intensive care units.

As of this morning, Việt Nam reported no new COVID-19 cases. The country’s total COVID-19 cases stands at 268 and no fatalities have been reported. The world reported over 2.18 million people with the novel coronavirus and more than 145,500 deaths in 211 countries and territories.

Vietnam gives Cambodia medical supplies to fight COVID-19

An official of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia gives aid to Vietnamese-Cambodians

The Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association handed over medical supplies and cash to its counterpart on April 17 in Hanoi to help the Cambodian people cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The handover ceremony took place at the Cambodian Embassy, with gifts including 12,500 face masks, 500 bottles of disinfectant, and 50 million VND.

Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Chay Navuth expressed his gratitude towards the Vietnamese people and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association for their support amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He recalled the assistance the Vietnam People's Army gave to the Cambodian people in the fight against the genocidal Pol Pot regime.

The ambassador also expressed his belief that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon end in Vietnam, Cambodia, and the world.

The two countries will continue to promote the solidarity and traditional friendship nurtured by many generations of leaders and people of Cambodia and Vietnam, he said.

Thailand to reopen land border gates

Thailand’s Immigration Bureau on April 16 announced that it will reopen 23 land border gates as from April 18 for Thai citizens who wish to return from neighbouring countries.

Only Thai nationals would be allowed to enter the country after obtaining a health certificate and permission from the respective Thai embassies.

They are also obliged to take 14-day quarantine upon their return.

Foreigners will not be allowed to enter Thailand except for diplomats or work permit holders.

Thailand closed its border gates on March 20 as part of the state of emergency lockdown orders imposed to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. The closures have left many Thais stranded in Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

Thailand’s Health Ministry receives donations for COVID-19 fight

Deputy Prime Minsiter and Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (R) and Swiss Ambassador to Thailand Helene Budliger Artieda (Source: http://thainews.prd.go.th/)

Medical supplies are now in high demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the government’s efforts to supply and fund hospitals, the private sector and partner countries have been making helpful contributions through donations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul has officially received cash donations from the Ambassador of Switzerland in Thailand Helene Budliger Artieda, and a representative of a Swiss-based pharmaceutical company Novartis, who have donated 7.75 million baht to the Department of Medical Services’ Foundation for COVID-19 disease control operations.

The Bunjitpimol Family, executives of Navamintra Hospital, have donated two respirators. Ocean Life Insurance has donated 77,650 face shields for 902 hospitals nationwide.

Executives of MCOT have donated aerosol protective boxes for medical professionals, while Fahlangfon Foundation has donated surgical masks.

The Health Minister said Thailand is still on top of the situation, with the government on high alert despite a stabilizing trend in the number of new cases reported each day, in order to prevent any new clusters occurring.

He has assured the public that donated items will be distributed for the benefit of medical professionals.

177 covid-19 patients declared to have fully recover

One more patient has recovered from the coronavirus and been discharged from the Ninh Binh General Hospital on Thursday evening, lifting the total number of COVID-19 recovered patients in Vietnam to 177.

Vĩnh Phúc’s makeshift hospital closed

The People’s Committee of northern Vĩnh Phúc Province has decided to close a 300-bed makeshift hospital which was opened to accommodate quarantined people and treat COVID-19 patients.

The hospital was renovated in early February from an old section of the provincial school of culture and art on Nguyễn Tất Thành Street, Vĩnh Yên City.

The facilities, with many rooms, have helped quarantine a large number of people.

Quick response teams managed by the provincial General Hospital were on duty at the temporary establishment.

About 196 staff were mobilised to work at the hospital across eight departments.

After the closure, the provincial People’s Committee asked the local Military Command Force to hand over all facilities and equipment to the provincial General Hospital for management.

The General Hospital and the provincial disease control centre are in charge of supervising health of medical staff who worked at the temporary hospital.

Vĩnh Phúc Province was a hotspot in COVID-19’s first phase in Việt Nam after local people returned from Wuhan, China’s epicentre.

The province now has 19 patients. Thirteen have recovered.

Since the first COVID-19 case was reported in Việt Nam in January, Vĩnh Phúc Province made use of a number of facilities to quarantine people including Quang Hà General Clinic, the provincial Military School, and headquarters of the local Military Command Force. 

One village, two healthcare facilities locked down after Hà Giang reports first COVID-19 case

Pín Tủng Hamlet, Đồng Văn District where the 16-year old patient lives. — Photo dongvan.hagiang.gov.vn

Pín Tủng Hamlet and two healthcare facilities in Đồng Văn District in the northern mountainous province of Hà Giang have been placed under lockdown after a 16-year-old ethnic minority girl tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Thursday.

The provincial health sector will provide essential items to households under lockdown in the village.

According to the provincial Department of Health, the teenage girl visited Phó Bảng General Clinic for a health check after experiencing breathing difficulties on Tuesday.

She was then moved to Đồng Văn District’s General Hospital for quarantine.

In the middle of March, she had close contact with her brothers who worked in China and completed 14-day quarantine after returning to Việt Nam.

Local authorities identified 177 people having contact with her including 56 people with close contact.

Those people are being quarantined.

As of Friday morning, 83 had their samples taken for testing with 22 results negative.

Sấn Văn Cương, director of the district General Hospital, said the patient was being quarantined and was in a stable condition. She stopped coughing and was breathing normally.

The General Clinic of Phó Bảng Town and the Đồng Văn District hospital have closed and now only deal with emergencies, he said.

The Yên Minh and Mèo Vạc general hospitals will receive patients of Đồng Văn District Hospital.

The provincial steering committee on COVID-19 prevention and control asked district authorities to set up eight more health check-up points at Phó Bảng Town, Phố Là Commune (Đồng Văn District) and Thượng Phùng Commune (Mèo Vạc District).

Local authorities were asked to encourage people to declare their health status and sanitise all places connected to the patient.

Ministry of Health releases COVID-19 aftercare guidance

Workers spray sterilising substances in Đông Cứu Village, Dũng Tiến Commune, Thường Tín District in Hà Nội after the 266th COVID-19 patients was confirmed there.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has released guidance on rehabilitation after recovering from a coronavirus infection.

The guidance says COVID-19 patients need to improve their lung function, avoid a physical and mental decline and improve their motor capacity.

After being deemed free of the virus by medical professionals, patients should use various techniques to recover from the damage it has done to their body.

The techniques include different types of breathing practice, how to release sputum and moving with gradually increasing intensity.

The patients should keep space of at least two metres with other people and avoid close contact during their rehab.

Some patients can use guidance videos or leaflets, while others more severely affected should be helped by medical workers after consultation from specialised doctors.  

Patients with lung injuries affecting their respiratory function should have a re-examination after a month and then depending on their recovery, the re-examination should be taken every three months.

Medical workers should gradually adjust exercises, intensity and practice periods to be suitable for the patients’ condition.  

Number of COVID-19 cases remains at 268 as of April 17 morning

Samples are tested at the disease control centre of Da Nang city

The number of COVID-19 patients in Vietnam remains at 268 as there were no new cases reported overnight, the national steering committee for the coronavirus prevention and control said on April 17 morning.

Among the total, 160 or 59.7 percent are imported cases while the remaining 108 cases, 40.3 percent, contracted SARS-CoV-2 from other patients in the community.

As many as 177 patients have fully recovered.

An additional 14 people under treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi are expected to be given the all-clear on April 17, according to the committee.

Of the 91 patients currently in hospital, 14 have tested negative once and 19 others twice.

Meanwhile, the three patients in critical conditions, which are cases No. 19, 91 and 161, are showing signs of improvement.

Hanoi Buffaloes deliver gifts to poor residents amid COVID-19

People in need can come to to pick Hanoi Buffaloes' free packs for families at 124-126 Lê Duẩn Street. Photo toquoc.vn

The Hanoi Buffaloes basketball team has been helping people in difficulty during the COVID-19 crisis by handing out hundreds of free gifts every day.

The Buffaloes started their charity activities on April 13 and have not yet set an end date.

Everyone in need can visit 124-126 Lê Duẩn Street, Hà Nội, to take a pack of items which could feed up to four people per day. Around 200 sets will be delivered daily.

“The coronavirus has strongly affect all people, especially poor ones. It is time for enterprises to show their responsibilities to the community,” said Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Anh, Deputy General Director of Hanoi Buffaloes Company.

“As a professional club based in the city and being citizens of Hà Nội we hope to share difficulties with our people so that we can overcome this challenge,” said Anh.

Anh also expects the club will inspire other enterprises and sponsors.

Hanoi Buffaloes is the first professional basketball club in the capital. Established in 2016, they have participated in the Vietnam Basketball Association league for four years with their home ground at Bách Khoa Gymnasium.

The Buffaloes have not won any titles yet, but they finished third at the Thailand Basketball Super League in 2017 and second in the VBA in 2018. 

Singapore’s new COVID-19 cases set another daily record

Singapore’s Health Ministry on April 17 confirmed additional 728 cases of COVID-19, the country’s new daily record, lifting the total to 4,427.

No new deaths were reported on the same day, leaving the toll at 10.

The ministry said of the new cases, 654 were linked to migrant workers’ dormitories. The latest count of the new infections was much higher than the previous biggest daily jump of 447 recorded a day earlier.

Local authorities have managed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 among Singapore’s citizens by rigorous contact tracing and surveillance, earning praise from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Singaporean authorities said they would impose stronger punishments on those who repeatedly break the 28-day circuit-breaker rules.

From April 9, enforcement officers would stern written warnings to people found gathering in public in Singapore. Those found to breach the rules a second time are fined 300 SGP, and taken to court if caught a third time.

“The number of new COVID-19 cases is increasing sharply, and we must comply with the Stay Home measures very strictly,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote in a Facebook post last week.

The Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been implementing social distancing measures on the metro and bus systems, such as limiting the number of commuters who can enter train stations and buses.

Safe distancing stickers are progressively rolled out on all trains, train stations, buses, bus stops and bus interchanges to mark out spaces and seats that should be avoided by commuters. Thermal scanners are deployed at selected MRT stations to screen commuters before they enter the stations.

Thailand: CCSA insists fewer new cases not from testing less

The Thai government’s COVID-19 centre has insisted the lower number of new COVID-19 cases announced each day is not due to an alleged lesser number of tests, while health authorities are working to increase test numbers according to the situation.

The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration’s (CCSA) Spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin has stressed that the drop in the daily number of new COVID-19 cases is not a result of less testing.

He said 100,498 tests for the coronavirus causing COVID-19 have been performed in Thailand from February up until April 10, using the RT-PCR method.

Test capacity as well as criteria for eligibility have been expanded to cover all groups of patients, and in response to the current situation.

In the case of a BMTA bus driver who has died of COVID-19, formally announced by the CCSA on April 16, the spokesman insisted the authorities had not tried to conceal this information.

He said the BMTA promptly notified health authorities according to the protocol, while health workers have been tracing and screening 20 persons who were in close contact with the deceased in this case, all of whom are now in self-isolation for symptoms monitoring.

Passengers on buses operated by the then driver can receive an examination if they exhibit suspicious symptoms.

Regarding Thai nationals overseas who wish to return home, Taweesin has clarified that the government does not prohibit their return travel, but rather asks them to comply with the screening measures which will start in their current country of residence.

He said Thai nationals abroad are asked to travel back in batches, as authorities in Thailand must come up with supporting protocols, as well as preparing the staff and facilities.

The CCSA spokesman said he isn’t worried that protocols to screen returning Thai nationals from abroad might be seen as unconstitutional, stressing that this is an essential measure to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country, while also pointing to the declining number of new cases.

Cambodia extends travel ban on citizens from US, Iran, four EU nations

People in Phnompenh wear face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Cambodia has decided to extend its ban on arrivals of citizens from the US, Iran and four European nations in an attempt to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading.

In a letter to Cambodian Ambassadors, General Consuls and Honorary Consuls overseas, Cambodian Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sea Kosal announced the decision to continue the ban on all persons travelling from the US, Iran, Italy, German, Spain and France until further notice.

The letter also said that Cambodia’s decision to deny entry to all foreigners will also remain effective until further notice.
Cambodia barred entry of citizens from the six nations in mid March.

The same day, the Cambodian Ministry of Health confirmed no new COVID-19 cases for the fourth day in a row, while two more patients have recovered.

Cambodia has recorded 122 cases of COVID-19, of whom 98 have recovered.

No new COVID-19 cases reported on April 16 evening

Vietnam recorded no new COVID-19 cases on April 16 evening, keeping the total number of infections in the country at 268.

According to the Ministry of Health, 177 patients have so far recovered, including six in Quang Ninh, Ha Nam and Ninh Binh provinces on April 16.

Among 91 active cases, seven tested negative once. Twenty nine others tested negative twice.

After the first case was reported on April 16 morning in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang, the province has been added to the list of localities at medium risk.

Men jailed for assaulting official on COVID-19 duty
 

Trinh and Thanh at the court hearing.

Two men in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Nông on Wednesday were charged with resisting officials on COVID-19 prevention and control duty.

Nguyễn Công Trinh, 37 years old, and Kiều Văn Thanh, 50, living in Gia Nghĩa City, were jailed for nine months and one year, respectively.

According to the indictment of the city People’s Procuracy, at 9pm on April 9, a number of people were found in a coffee shop owned by Trinh’s wife. The patrons were not wearing face masks in spite of the Government’s social distancing orders.

A police officer from Nghĩa Thành Ward wrote a report and asked Trinh’s wife to sign it so an administrative fine could be issued.

The two offenders, Trinh and Thanh, opposed the official on duty by snatching the paper from his hand and punching him in the face.

At the court hearing on Wednesday, the two men admitted their wrongdoing and said they were unable to control themselves after drinking alcohol. 

Vietnamese Embassy in Russia calls for support for COVID-19 treatment

A quiet street in St. Petersburg, Russia at the height of COVID-19.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Russia has sent a diplomatic note to local authorities calling for their essential and timely health support for overseas Vietnamese.

The Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Moscow reported that the number of Vietnamese people infected with SARS-CoV-2 had increased sharply since the end of March.

As of April 15, about 100 Vietnamese in Russia were admitted to hospitals for common pneumonia and pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.

Among those, at least 80 people in Moscow tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Many infected people who are in stable condition were advised by doctors to self isolate at home.

The Vietnamese Embassy has sought Russian competent agencies’ assistance in COVID-19 testing and treatment.

The embassy has also updated the pandemic developments to the Vietnamese community and offer support if needed.

As of Thursday morning, Russia recorded 24,490 cases including 198 deaths.

The government has put into operation additional treatment facilities to address overcrowding of healthcare facilities.

Moscow has become a hotspot of COVID-19 in Russia. Up to 54 per cent of healthcare facilities in Moscow are reportedly virus transmission sources. 

Three COVID-19 patients in Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh discharged

A patient is discharged from the Ninh Binh General Hospital

 Three more COVID-19 patients in the northern provinces of Ninh Binh and Quang Ninh were discharged from hospital on April 16.

The patient in Ninh Binh - the 211th in Vietnam - is a 23-year-old Vietnamese female student who returned home from the US on March 20.

She was tested many times during her treatment and was negative for SARS-CoV-2 in her last four tests.

She will undergo self-quarantine at home for the next 14 days.

The Ninh Binh General Hospital has successfully treated two COVID-19 patients, while eleven others are currently receiving treatment.

In Quang Ninh, patients 50 and 149 were discharged from the provincial center for disease control and will be under quarantine for seven more days at a local acute respiratory disease hospital.

Patient 50 is a 24-year-old woman who returned from London on a flight with patient 46.

The 149th patient is a 40-year-old worker returning from the German state of Hessen.

Both tested negative three times.

COVID-19: Low-risk localities told to remain vigilant

Many people seen on Ha Giang street amid COVID-19 outbreak

Localities with a low risk of the COVID-19 pandemic are nonetheless not safe amid the outbreak, a health expert has said.

At a Cabinet meeting on the afternoon of April 15, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc agreed with a proposal from the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control on classifying the risk in different localities.

Twelve cities and provinces face a high risk of infection, the group with medium risk comprises 15 cities and provinces, and the low-risk group include the remaining 36 cities and provinces.

However, Associate Professor Tran Dac Phu, former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine and adviser to Vietnam’s public health emergency operations center, said these classifications are resulting in many people believing that low-risk localities are completely safe.

Nowhere and no one in Vietnam, he explained, is completely safe from COVID-19.

He took the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang as an example. It is classified as a low-risk locality but reported its first infection on the morning of April 16.

Everyone, he said, including those in low-risk localities, must remain vigilant and strictly obey prevention and control measures such as wearing face masks, washing hands with antibacterial soap or sanitiser, and keeping a distance of at least 2 meters away from others.

Social distancing is extremely important, he emphasised, recommending that everyone with a fever and cough make medical declarations to be tested.

After its first infection was reported, Ha Giang province held an urgent teleconference to identify and adopt appropriate measures and boost its communications activities with locals, especially ethnic minority groups in remote areas.

Viet Nam has strong response to COVID-19: international experts

 

Medical staff spray disinfectants in Giếng Mứt Alley, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hà Nội.

A leading expert from the COVID-19 International Task Force said “Việt Nam has had a very strong response” to the pandemic in reply to a question on why the number of infection cases has been kept low in the country.

Dr Barbara Marston, COVID-19 International Task Force Lead at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said there were many different factors that contribute to Việt Nam’s low number. But “they are certainly related to the quality of responses."

She made the comment at a telephonic press briefing on Wednesday on the CDC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia and co-ordination efforts with national governments in the region.

Responding to a reporter’s question on the efforts of Việt Nam in containing COVID-19, Dr John MacArthur, the CDC Thailand country director, said the CDC team in Việt Nam is working quite closely with the Vietnamese Government and they believe that the Vietnamese Government is doing a good job. 

“The public health system in Việt Nam is very strong. The Government at the highest level took this seriously, and has really taken a whole-of-government approach to the response, and I think that’s why we’re seeing some successes in Việt Nam.”

“The Government has been building the disease detectives that are necessary to do the on-the-ground contact tracing, really, the public health heavy lifting that’s necessary to get this epidemic, pandemic under control, and that they’ve got some strong laboratories.”

The CDC team in Việt Nam is working very closely with counterparts from the health ministry on many aspects of this pandemic response, providing technical assistance in the areas of surveillance, data analysis, laboratory testing, doing investigations, contact tracing, he said.

As of Thursday morning, Việt Nam recorded 268 COVID-19 cases while many other neighbouring countries like Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia have witnessed more than 5,000 cases.

Việt Nam’s daily increase of infection cases in the latest week remained below five cases.

The Government is continuing a social distancing policy in high-risk localities along with other national-scale measures like quarantine and limiting immigration.

More COVID-19 patients recover

The last three COVID-19 patients in a hospital in the northern province of Ha Nam were declared to have fully recovered on the morning of April 16.

This makes Ha Nam now free of COVID-19 cases.

The patients are female employees of the Truong Sinh Company which provided catering services to Hanoi’s Bach Mai Hospital which was a hot spot of the pandemic.

The same day, another patient in Ninh Binh general hospital was also cured and discharged from hospital.

Meanwhile, two COVID-19 patients have been given the all-clear and were discharged from the Quảng Ninh Hospital 2 in Quảng Ninh Province on April 16 morning.

The patients will undergo quarantine and monitoring per regulations from the Ministry of Health.

By April 16 afternoon, Vietnam had reported 268 Covid-19 cases, one more case compared to the previous day.

Of the total patients, 176 have fully recovered.

Southeast Asian countries see downward trend in COVID-19 cases

Thailand on April 16 reported 29 new COVID-19 cases, lifting the total to 2,672, and three new deaths, bringing the toll to 46.

This continues an encouraging downward trend with double-digit numbers since April 8. The country’s highest daily toll to date was the 188 recorded on March 22.

In Cambodia, the Health Ministry confirmed zero case on April 16, the fourth day in a row, while two more patients have fully recovered. The country has so far recorded 122 cases and 98 recoveries.

The country's Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training said over 95 percent of local factories have maintained normal operation during Chol Chnam Thmey festival, Cambodia’s traditional New Year.

The Cambodian government has also called for enforcement of stringent measures to ensure food security for the country.

Meanwhile, Brunei plans to introduce tracking devices for recovered COVID-19 patients and those undergoing self-quarantine, according to its Ministry of Health.

The electronic devices are expected to help tracking the movements of quarantined people to ensure they abide by the 14-day home quarantine rules.

Brunei has reported no new cases for the fifth consecutive day on April 15. The total cases remained at 136.

Hà Tĩnh border guard find 20 people crossing from Laos illegally

A border soldier patrols the border in Hà Tĩnh Province to prevent illegal entry into Việt Nam amid the COVID-19 pandemic. — Photo dantri.com.vn

Border guards in the central province of Hà Tĩnh have arrested 20 people (including 15 Vietnamese citizens and five foreigners) who were crossing the Việt Nam-Laos border illegally.

They were discovered when the border guards patrolled trails and openings along the border to prevent illegal entry into Việt Nam amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Dân Trí online newspaper reported.

Fifteen Vietnamese were given medical examinations and put under quarantine in Hương Sơn District.

Five foreigners were forced to return to Laos.

Border authorities in Hà Tĩnh Province also set up 16 checkpoints at the trails and roads along the border and nine patrol teams to strictly control all travel through border gates as part of an effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease.