Vietnam on May 30 confirmed another imported case infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, taking to 328 the total number of coronavirus cases in the country.

The Vietnamese patient, a one-year-old boy, had close contact with a COVID-19 patient on board the same Vietnam Airlines flight VN0062 from coronavirus hit Russia to Vietnam on May 13.

He was quarantined at a military camp in Hai Duong province as soon as he landed in Vietnam and tested negative for the virus shortly afterwards.

The boy tested positive by the Hai Duong Centre for Disease Control on May 28 and the results were confirmed by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology one day later.

The boy is currently in quarantine at the Hai Duong provincial Hospital of Tropical Diseases for observation and treatment.

So far 34 out of more than 340 Vietnamese nationals on the same flight returning from Russia to Vietnam have been confirmed to carry the virus. Twenty-eight of them are receiving treatment in Thai Binh province, 3 in Hai Duong province, 1 in Quang Ninh province, and 2 flight attendants in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam has gone 44 consecutive days without new locally transmitted coronavirus infections.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has hit 328 since the first case was detected in January. As many as 279 cases have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

At a recent meeting of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long warned about a high risk of virus infection in Vietnam as the country is receiving foreign specialists and highly skilled workers, as well as Vietnamese nationals repatriated from epidemic hit countries.

He stressed the need to tighten regulations for those entering Vietnam from overseas to nip in the bud any risk of community infection.

According to regulations, all international crew members, specialists, skilled workers and Vietnamese citizens boarding any flight into Vietnam are placed in quarantine as soon as they land in the country.

HCM City reports Covid-19 relapsed case for second time

A Brazilian man in HCM City has tested positive for Covid-19 for a second time, according to the HCM City Disease Control Centre.

The 39-year old man, Patient 244, who lives in District 2, Thao Dien Ward, contracted the virus after having closed contact with Patient 158 in March.

After treatment in Cu Chi Hospital, he was discharged from hospital on April 20 after being tested negative several consecutive times.

He was continued being medically monitored for 14 days later. However, on April 26, he was tested positive again for the virus and taken to Cu Chi Hospital.

On May 12, he was released from hospital for the second time, but, unluckily, just five days afterwards, he showed positive for the virus again.

The patient is now staying at Cu Chi Hospital for the treatment. The area where he lives has been sterilised.

By Thursday morning, a total 503 people had been quarantined in HCM City.

British pilot with SARS-CoV-2 depends less on ECMO machine

The British pilot who is Covid-19 Patient 91 in Vietnam is getting better and depending less on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine, according to local doctors. 

On May 29, at the Vietnam Telemedicine Centre for COVID-19 Outbreak Control, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son had held a meeting with the doctors to discuss the patient's situation who is currently being treated at Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City.

He has woken up from a coma, can cough harder and move his fingers. His lung condition has also improved. 40% of his lungs can work normally. However, he still needs ECMO machine and there's a risk of lung infection.

Head of the Health Ministry's Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Luong Ngoc Khue expressed appreciation for the doctors for their treatment decisions. Nguyen Gia Binh, Chairman of Vietnam Association of Emergency & Poison Resuscitation said this was the hardest case they had had. The next stops will focus on lung infection and gradually removing the ECMO machine.

Son also asked Cho Ray Hospital to consider expert opinions like treatment to liver and kidney function. Vietnam-Germany Hospital will co-operate to find a compatible lung donor.

The patient was admitted to the hospital on March 18 with a high fever. His condition worsened and needed an ECMO machine on April 6. He is the last Covid-19 patient in critical condition in Vietnam. On May 22, he was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital and had seven negative tests for the virus since May 7.

85% of confirmed cases recover from coronavirus in Vietnam

Another patient was declared coronavirus free on May 29, taking to 279 the total number of recovered patients, or 85% of confirmed cases in Vietnam, said the Ministry of Health.

The Vietnamese man illegally crossed the southwestern border into Vietnam’s Tay Ninh province from Cambodia on May 2 and was diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, at the province’s concentrated quarantine camp on May 15. 

Since being admitted to the provincial General Hospital, the patient responded well to treatment and had tested negative twice.

He is currently in stable health condition, without any flu-like symptoms such as a high temperature, a cough or shortness of breath, meeting the criteria to be released from hospital. He will be then placed in quarantine at home for the next 14 days for medical observation.

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam has reported no new COVID-19  cases during the past 24 hours and May 29 is the 43rd consecutive day the country has seen no new locally transmitted infections.

Apart from 279 recovered cases, the remaining 48 patients are receiving treatment at 9 centrally- and locally-run health facilities, with most of them in stable health condition.

Vietnam Airlines brings home over 340 Vietnamese from Taiwan

A Vietnam Airlines flight on May 29 brought home more than 340 Vietnamese citizens left stranded in Taiwan (China) due to the novel coronavirus.

Passengers on the flight included students under 18, elderly people, pregnant women, people with underlying illnesses, guestworkers whose working contracts had ended and visitors whose visas had expired. 

Upon arrival at Da Nang International Airport, all people on the flight were given medical check and put into quarantine in line with regulations.

The flight was arranged by relevant Vietnamese agencies, the Vietnam Economic-Cultural Office in Taipei and Taiwanese agencies.

Under the Prime Minister’s instructions, Vietnamese agencies, Vietnamese representative agencies abroad and domestic airlines will continue to conduct flights to bring overseas Vietnamese citizens back to Vietnam.

243 pregnant women tested for COVID-19 in Quang Nam province

The central province of Quang Nam saw more than 340 Vietnamese citizens who had recently been repatriated from Taiwan (China) tested for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on May 30, with pregnant women making up 243 of the total.

The group consists entirely of Vietnamese citizens who had been left stranded in Taiwan due to impact of the COVID-19 with a repatriation flight by Vietnam Airlines on May 29 helping them to return safely to the home country. 

Nguyen Van Hai, director of the Quang Nam provincial Department of Health, confirmed that the province had received a total of 343 Vietnamese citizens returning from Taiwan in line with instructions issued by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Upon arrival back in the country at Da Nang International Airport, all returnees were immediately quarantined at a police camp in the province in line with current health regulations.

In order to check the health of those on board the flight, the local health sector has taken samples from every passenger for testing, while also making thorough preparations in a bid to safeguard the health of people at the camp, according to Hai. Indeed, the province has already devised scenarios in the event that any of the pregnant women go into labour.

According to the doctor, any pregnant women who show signs of giving birth are to be swiftly transferred to the medical centre located in Thang Binh district where a fully equipped quarantine camp has already been set up, with experienced obstetricians ready to be deployed in order to deliver the baby.

Vietnamese Government grants masks to Vietnamese community in Spain

The Vietnamese Government has sent nearly 1,500 anti-bacterial cloth face masks to the Vietnamese community in Spain.

The masks were handed over to the community in a ceremony on May 28 at the Vietnamese Embassy in Spain.

Ambassador Hoang Xuan Hai said the gift reflects the concern of the Vietnamese Government towards overseas Vietnamese even when the government is stretching all domestic resources to prevent and curb the COVID-19 epidemic in the country.

He noted that on April 7, Vietnam also presented Spain with 110,000 anti-bacterial cloth masks worth 70,000 USD.

There are about 2,000 Vietnamese living in Spain, with 600 being students.

Speaking on behalf of the Vietnamese community in Madrid, Tran Thi Thu Thuy thanked the Vietnamese Government, describing the gift as a timely encouragement for the community during this time of difficulty.

The Chairman of the association of families with adopted children from Vietnam Mr. Angel said the gift from the Vietnamese Government is a spiritual encouragement that shows the bond between the association and Vietnam in general and the Embassy in particular.

There are more than 1,000 families across Spain that have adopted children from Vietnam./.

Top Japanese legislator praises Vietnam’s COVID-19 fight

Santo Akiko, President of the House of Councillors of Japan, on May 29 praised Vietnam’s impressive achievements in preventing and fighting the COVID-19 and highlighted the important role played by the Vietnamese National Assembly in the combat.

During a reception for Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam, Santo conveyed the thanks of the Japanese legislature to the Vietnamese NA and its Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan for the gift package of 20,000 face masks amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

She briefed on positive results in the fight against the disease in her country, especially the country’s decision to lift national emergency on May 25 and the recovery of socio-economic activities.

She spotlighted the fruitful development of the bilateral relations, especially legislative cooperation, expressing her hope that the cooperation between the two legislatures will further develop and reap new achievements in the time to come.

For his part, Ambassador Nam congratulated Japan on its success in containing the spread of COVID-19, affirming that this is an important premise for the Japanese Government to decide to life the state of emergency nationwide earlier than the schedule to serve its socio-economic recovery.

He also thanked the Japanese government for its financial and medical support for the Vietnamese community in Japan amid the complicated developments of the disease.

The Vietnamese Government, NA and people always stand side by side with their Japanese counterparts in in all difficult circumstances, he stated.

The diplomat also expressed his belief that the extensive strategic partnership between the two countries will continue to develop strongly in the coming time, promising that he will always do his best to contribute to promoting the Vietnam-Japans friendship and cooperation./.

Thailand, Philippines plan restriction easing, Myanmar extends preventive measures

The Government of Thailand is planning to lift all business and activity lockdowns on July 1 after making preparations for the reopening in June.

Secretary-General of the National Security Council Gen. Somsak Rungsita said these include the removal of interprovincial travel restrictions as well as the end of emergency decree and curfew.

When the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations, issued on March 26, ends in late June, the ban on international travel will also be lifted.

The full reopening will come after the third phase of relaxation takes place in June.

The Thai Government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration on May 29 is set to finalise details on what businesses could resume and on what conditions under the third phase of relaxation in June.

The COVID-19 situation in Thailand has improved recently. This country has had four days without any new cases this month, while the infections confirmed over the last few days are imported cases.

In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte said key coronavirus lockdown measures in Manila capital will be lifted, aiming to resuscitate the economy after nearly three months of strict home quarantine.

He said on late May 28 that: "Remember that the entire nation is under quarantine," adding "let us move to the so-called 'new normal'.”

Most businesses will be allowed to re-open from June 1, and public tranport is to return in a limited form. Meanwhile, shopping malls in Manila have been open at a limited capacity for about two weeks.

However, schools, bars, dine-in restaurants and barber shops will all remain shuttered. Children and the elderly will have to stay home unless they are out getting essentials or headed to work.

Manila, home to some 12 million people, is the centre of the country's outbreak. It has endured one of the world's longest lockdowns, since mid-March.

In Myanmar, the country’s government on May 28 announced the extension of preventive measures until June 15, but it will not apply to the measures which have been lifted.

On the same day, the Health and Sports Ministry of Myanmar lifted the restriction of gathering of five or more persons under certain conditions. It also announced removing the restriction on four out of 10 townships in Yangon which have been put under the government's stay-at-home orders./.