Patient number 155 has recovered and was discharged from the Bạc Liêu General Hospital on April 13. — Photo courtesy of the hospital

One more COVID-19 patient has recovered and was discharged from Bạc Liêu General Hospital today, lifting the country’s total number of recoveries to 145.

According to the Sub-Committee of Treatment of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the recovered patient is patient number 155, female, 21, Vietnamese nationality. She was admitted to the hospital on March 23.

During treatment, she was tested many times and all test results were negative for SARS-CoV-2 from April 3 to 9.

The patient now has no fever, no cough, no breathing difficulties, no chest pain and is in a stable condition. She will continue to be isolated and monitored for the next 14 days.

The sub-committee said there are 117 people being treated at 14 hospitals across the country, of which 22 have tested negative once and 16 have tested negative twice.

As of this Monday morning, Việt Nam has reported 262 COVID-19 cases, of which 159 people returned from abroad (60.7 per cent) and the remaining 103 were secondary infection cases (39.3 per cent). No fatalities have been reported in Việt Nam.

22,000 USD given to help Romania’s fight against COVID-19

Vice President of the Vietnam-Romania Friendship Association Bui Trong Dinh visited the Romanian Embassy in Vietnam on April 13 to hand over 500 million VND (22,000 USD) to support Romania’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dinh said the funding was donated by the Association's members and others who love Romania.

It is expected to boost solidarity between the two peoples and partly help mitigate the impact of the disease in Romania, he added.

Romanian Ambassador Emil Ghitulescu thanked the Vietnamese State, people, and the Vietnam-Romania Friendship Association for their warm sentiments and support.

He said he appreciates the measures introduced by the Vietnamese Government to fight the pandemic, the efforts of Hanoi authorities, and the participation of the Vietnamese people.

Dinh added that the Association will also hand over 100 million VND to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee to aid Vietnam's prevention and control efforts.

Singapore to house foreign workers in vessels as COVID-19 spreads

Singapore is preparing to house hundreds of foreign labourers in accommodation vessels typically used for offshore and marine industry staff, in the context that the COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly in dormitories of guest workers.

The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore said it is working with terminal operator PSA Singapore, Keppel Corp's rig-building unit, floating accommodation barge provider Bibby Maritime Ltd, and serviced apartment operator The Ascott Ltd to bring in and manage two floating accommodations.

Singaporean Minister of Transport Khaw Boon Wan said in a Facebook post on April 12 that each facility can hold a few hundred occupants and can be suitably organised to achieve safe distancing.

The facilities are docked in a restricted area in a port terminal, Khaw added.

On the same day, Singapore reported 233 new cases of COVID-19, taking its total to 2,532, including eight deaths.

In recent days, cramped dormitories where dozens of thousands of foreign workers are living in have become the strongest sources of infection in Singapore.

Urgent guidelines issued over COVID-19 testing

Testing conducted for residents of Ha Loi village in Me Linh commune of Hanoi's Me Linh district

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has asked cities and provinces nationwide to invest wisely in testing systems to avoid unnecessary waste in the current pandemic situation.

In an urgent document sent at the weekend, the steering committee asked local health departments to carefully consider procurement and investment of the equipment to avoid waste because machines and biological products are limited and expensive.

The document stressed that testing is conducted by laboratories under the direction of the steering committee, not as requested services.

So far, the country has had 110 laboratories with full capacity for COVID-19 testing, of which 95 are under the health sector, 15 are under other sectors such as agriculture and national defence.

According to the Ministry of Health, the test method suitable to the prevention and control conditions in Vietnam is the RT-PCR test with test kits produced by the Military Medical Academy, ensuring the ability of domestic supply, regardless of the supply from the outside. The ministry is appraising and licensing several units that have registered.

Vietnam is one of the leading countries in the world having people tested in relation to positive cases. Testing capacity reaches 27,000 samples a day. By April 12 morning, the cumulative total of tested samples was 212,800.

Binh Phuoc: District official suspended from work

Bình Phước Province Party Committee has decided to temporarily suspend Hớn Quản District’s vice chairman Lưu Văn Thanh for failing to comply with a request to take a body temperature check, said Nguyễn Văn Lợi, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee.

The suspension took effect on Friday (April 10), Lợi said.

Thanh appeared in a video clip going viral on Sunday on social media.

In the four-minute clip which recorded at about 7am on April 3 at a quarantine checkpoint in Bình Long Town, Thanh didn’t wear a face mask and argued with officers at the checkpoint. He slapped his hands many times on the table and cursed at them.

He confirmed he was in the clip to the Vietnam News Agency. He said he was unable to control his anger and had since admitted his wrongdoings.

However, Thanh claimed the short clip doesn't reflect the nature of the whole incident.

"I was displeased because my car was stopped while others weren't. I think that all vehicles should be checked to ensure the effectiveness of the quarantine,” he said.

Thanh also said that at first, a traffic police officer allowed him to continue his journey but another officer knocked on the door and asked him to get out of the car to have his body temperature checked, adding that he felt annoyed by the man's attitude. 

Argentina’s newspaper lauds Vietnam’s success in COVID-19 fight

Measuring border temperature to detect COVID-19 infections

Argentina’s e-newspaper OJODIGITAL has recently run an article titled “Coronavirus: Vietnam model, world example” praising Vietnam’s success in controlling the spread of the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

The article stressed that over the past nearly three months, the novel coronavirus has been lashing the health systems of many countries around the world. However, Vietnam, which lies close to the first major outbreak of the disease, is one of the world models in the fight against the COVID-19, because as of April 10 (local time), it had reported 257 confirmed infections, with 144 fully recovering, and no fatalities.

It said that locals’ support for the Government’s decisions has determined the success of its policies in this fight, thus affirming a reliable state management.

The article also recalled Vietnam’s success in winning over the acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 when it took a number of drastic measures to contain the disease, including setting up a national steering committee, quarantining infected persons in certain hospitals, implementing strict border control and disinfecting all areas reporting infection cases.

When the COVID-19 broke out, the experience has helped Vietnam take the initiative in preventing and controlling the disease.

The Vietnamese Government’s decisions to control infection cases, monitor all people entering the country, and apply a 14-day quarantine period or social distancing have shown that the country has taken appropriate steps in its roadmap to prevent and control the spread of the disease.

Vietnam’s success in the fight has been lauded by other countries and international organisations, the article stressed.

It also noted that Vietnam has intensified cooperation with many countries in the global health crisis by presenting protective gears to Italy, Spain, Germany, France, the UK, Laos and Cambodia.

Thailand has 33 more confirmed cases of COVID-19

Stores that sell food and essential goods in Thailand are still open during the time this country is under an emergency decree from March 26 to April 30 to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Thailand’s COVID-19 infection graph is showing a stable trend, with 33 confirmed new infections and three deaths reported on April 12.

Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, the spokesman for Thailand’s Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration, disclosed 33 more confirmed cases on April 12, taking the total number of infections to 2,551, with 1,218 already cured. The three deaths reported take the total number of deaths to 38.

The three deaths comprise a man aged 74 with diabetes and Hyperlipidemia, with a history of visiting a local market and regularly meeting with members of his family. The second death was a woman aged 65 suffering from obesity and Hyperlipidemia, who visited her relatives in Chumphon province in March. The other death was a man of 44 with severe symptoms from the first day of his hospitalization.

Meanwhile the 33 new cases are mostly from Bangkok at 14 cases, followed by five from Yala, four in Phuket, three in Pattani, two in Narathiwat, two in Samut Sakhon, 1 from Loei, 1 from Chonburi, and 1 in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Meanwhile, there are nine provinces that have been able to maintain a zero infection rate, comprising Kamphaengphet, Chai Nat, Trat, Nan, Bueng Kan, Phichit, Ranong, Singburi, and Angthong

Given the concern among some members of the public that cured patients may carry the virus back to the community, the spokesperson assured such citizens, that patients who are fully cured have immunity as in cases of influenza. So there is no risk of transmission or only at a very low rate. This group of people now cured of the virus, can safely donate plasma that can be used to treat infected patients.

Chinese ambassador hails ASEAN+3 cooperation in fight against COVID-19

The ASEAN Plus Three (ASEAN+3) cooperation mechanism has been running in high gear since the outbreak of COVID-19, and the collective response fully demonstrates the close neighborliness and friendship, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Deng Xijun has said.

ASEAN+3 comprises member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

In a written interview with China's Xinhua News Agency recently, Deng said Southeast Asian countries responded immediately by offering each other assistance and working together in the collective fight since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Efforts of ASEAN+3 have proved to be highly effective in protecting people's health and lives, maintaining normal exchanges and minimising the impact of the disease on economy and society, he said.

Deng further said that ASEAN+3 health authorities have maintained close communication through the ASEAN+3 health development framework to find ways of strengthening cooperation in public health emergencies.

According to the ambassador, the ASEAN+3 cooperation mechanism was set up in response to the Asian financial crisis in late 1990s and then emerged even stronger from the international financial crisis in 2008.

Through mutual help under this mechanism, the ASEAN+3 countries also stood strong against SARS, the highly pathogenic avian influenza and the Indian Ocean tsunami, he said.

As an important member of the ASEAN+3 mechanism and a major country of the region, Deng said China has been a strong advocate and productive participant of ASEAN+3's collective response to the COVID-19 outbreak via medical supplies, policy coordination, information sharing and medical personnel support.

With regard to the upcoming special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 via video conference, Deng said it will be the first leaders' meeting that covers the East Asian region in response to COVID-19 and also the first special meeting so far among ASEAN+3 leaders since the mechanism was established.

Deng said the summit will particularly boost the ASEAN+3 cooperation in public health and significantly enhance emergency response to major disasters in regional countries, thus further cementing the foundation of an East Asian community.

Deng believed that the regional impact of the pandemic is also high on the agenda and leaders will talk about how to better coordinate macroeconomic policies and stabilise regional supply chains.

The ambassador also said that China will keep a close contact with other countries on the pandemic containment and trade-related measures, fully implement the ASEAN-China free trade agreement, actively work with other parties towards the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) this year and expand regional cooperation in emerging areas such as the digital economy.

Two more COVID-19 cases confirmed on April 13 morning

A doctor takes care of a COVID-19 patient

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control confirmed two new cases of VOCID-19 in the morning of April 13, bringing the total number to 262.

The latest two patients are both residents in Ha Loi village, Me Linh commune in Hanoi’s outlying Me Linh district, which is a new hot spot of COVID-19.

Hanoi’s Health Department said it had sent 15 quick-response teams to Me Linh to help the district isolate and stamp out the COVID-19 outbreak in Ha Loi.

The village, which has 11,077 residents, has been put under quarantine for 28 days.

Among the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Vietnam, 144 (55 percent) have been cured, and 118 are receiving treatment in 14 hospitals./.

With the two newest cases reported early April 13, the number of cases in Hanoi rose to 110.

British pilot tests negative for COVID-19, condition still deteriorates

Illustrative image

The British patient of the coronavirus, who is a Vietnam Airlines pilot, have tested negative for the deadly SÁ-CoV-2 virus, but shown no signs of recovery, a senior doctor said on April 12.

The patient’s lung damage has stopped progressing, but the function of the pulmonary ventilation remains limited and the blood coagulation disorders have not improved, said Dr Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Tropical Diseases. 

The 43-year-old pilot has undergone RT-PCR tests coming back negative, but his condition has not improved considerably.

Currently, the patient has no a high temperature, a stable pulse and blood pressure, while still relying on ECMO therapy and dialysis, said Dr Chau, adding that the hospital gets an update on his condition and consults the national specialists’ council for a follow-up therapy.

The pilot was diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus on March 18 after visiting Buddha Bar, a coronavirus hotspot in HCM City. He had experienced high temperatures and signs of respiratory failure since hospitalization.

HCM City has put the Buddha Bar outbreak under control. To date there have been 19 COVID-19 cases linked to Buddha Bar, of which 13 visited the hotspot and the remainder acquired subsidiary infection.

In addition to the British citizen, 14 other coronavirus patients in the city remain in stable health condition.  

UNDP supports Việt Nam in COVID-19 fight

UNDP Resident Representative Caitlin Wiesen hands over the surgical masks to representatives from the Ministry of Health. — Photo of UNDP Việt Nam

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) on Sunday donated 20,000 high-quality surgical masks to Việt Nam’s Ministry of Health (MoH) to help protect health care workers on the frontlines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Handing over the masks to the Ministry of Health, UNDP Resident Representative Caitlin Wiesen congratulated Việt Nam for its success in combating COVID19, with more than half of the COVID-19 patients fully recovered.

She reiterated the UNDP’s commitment to support this effort, building on the existing memorandum of understanding signed between UNDP and MoH supporting the health sector on readiness in response to climate change and capacity building for centralised procurement.

“The global COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a shortage of critical personal protective equipment, putting health care workers at risk,” she said.

“UNDP is helping the Ministry of Health procure critically needed personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies to support doctors, nurses and health staff at the frontline of this crisis”.

“We highly appreciate UNDP’s present of 20,000 masks for health and its assistance in procuring N95 masks for the disease prevention and control work,’’ said Nguyễn Nam Liên, Director General of the MoH’s Department of Planning and Finance.

UNDP has been working closely with relevant ministries and UN organisations to support Viet Nam to respond to COVID-19, as part of its mission to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and build resilience to crisis and shocks.

In response to COVID-19, UNDP is working with the Ministry of Health and WHO in the communication campaign 'Spreading the word – #LeaveNoOneBehind' to reach out to ethnic minority people and people with disabilities. The campaign promotes COVID-19 prevention messages through animation and other communication means in ethnic minority and sign languages.

In addition, UNDP in collaboration with UNWomen is conducting a rapid assessment of economic impacts of the crisis by surveying about 600 vulnerable households and 500 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This will contribute to the COVID-19 Impact Assessment led by the National Centre for Information and Forecast of the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

In the longer term, UNDP will look at innovative ways to support Việt Nam to better prevent and manage such crises and ensure the country makes full use of the lessons learned from this crisis to build back better. 

Indonesia extends large-scale social restrictions

Health workers collect samples for COVID-19 testing in West Java province of Indonesia on April 4 (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

The Indonesian Government has decided to extend the area of the large-scale social restrictions to West Java, the most populous province in the country, as the number of COVID-19 cases there spikes.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said the large-scale restrictions will start on April 15 and be applied on the provincial towns of Bekasi, Depok and Bogor that share borders with the country's Jakarta capital.

The provincial administration has also been preparing the provincial capital of Bandung for applying the large-scale social restrictions, he noted, adding that social assistance in the forms of cashes and logistics would be delivered to the people affected by the policy.

The Indonesian Government's spokesman for the COVID-19-related matters Achmad Yurianto confirmed that the central government has given an approval to West Java province on its request to apply the restrictions.

Banten, another Indonesian province that borders Jakarta, has also requested for applying the large-scale social restrictions.

Indonesia on April 12 reported the biggest daily hike of COVID-19 cases, 399, bringing the total to 4,241 with 373 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Philippines recorded 220 new cases of COVID-19 and 50 deaths, the highest number of fatalities in a single day, raising the respective figures to 4,648 and 297. A total of 197 patients have recovered with 40 announced on April 12.

In Malaysia, this country confirmed 153 new cases and three deaths on the day, bringing total infections to 4,683 – the highest in Southeast Asia, including 76 deaths. Its Health Ministry said 45 percent of all cases have recovered.

New COVID-19 cases in Thailand dropped to a double-digit number for the fourth straight day on April 12. The infected patients there totalled 2,551 with 38 deaths./.

German city appreciates Vietnam’s support in COVID-19 combat

A woman wears a face mask to help prevent COVID-19 infection in Leipzig city on April 4 (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Mayor of the German city of Liepzig Burkhard Jung has offered thanks to Vietnamese partners for their medical support for St. George Hospital in the COVID-19 fight, stressing the importance of long-standing international cooperation amidst crises.

The assistance for St. George Hospital includes 10,000 medical face masks, 1,000 protective suits, along with eyewear and gloves. They were delivered free of charge by Vietnam’s national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines to Frankfurt am Main city on the flight that repatriated German citizens.
Mayor Burkhard Jung highlighted that the long-standing cooperation between Leipzig and partners around the world becomes all the more important amidst crises.

He appreciated the Ho Chi Minh City-based Military Hospital 175, Vietnam Airlines and other partners creating conditions for the medical aid to reach his city, noting that without the relevant sides’ coordination, including the policy-related support from Vietnam and Germany, the aid wouldn’t have been able to be transported.

Meanwhile, Director of St. George Hospital Iris Minde expressed her delight at the aid from Vietnam.

She highlighted the successful cooperation between her hospital and Military Hospital 175 for many years, adding they jointly set up a healthcare centre for sharing experience.

Leipzig and its twinned HCM City have been developing strong connections in multiple spheres. Leipzig is also the only German city to have opened a representative office in the southern economic hub of Vietnam.

Besides, St. George Hospital and Military Hospital 175 have been partners of each other for years. They have effectively implemented many training and exchange programmes in both countries./.

Two more COVID-19 cases reported in Vietnam, total now 260

The Ministry of Health on April 12 afternoon announced two more cases of COVID-19, bringing the total in the country to 260.

Ha Loi village, Me Linh district, Hanoi.

Both of the cases are in Ha Loi village, Me Linh commune, Hanoi’s outlying district of Me Linh, which is a new hot spot of the pandemic.

The 259th case, 41 years old, is the wife of Patient 254. From April 3-6, she traveled to a number of other localities to sell flowers and buy necessities. After her husband’s sample on April 9 tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 that causes the disease, she was quarantined a day later. Her sample also tested positive for the virus on April 11.

Meanwhile, the 260th is a 35-year-old farmer. Over the past two weeks, she did not go anywhere far from her house, but visited a butcher’s where Patient 259 also frequented. Besides, on April 6, she had close contacts with two F1 cases of Patient 243. Her sample tested positive on April 11.

Citizen protection online discussion in US against COVID-19

Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc (second row, third from left)joins a recent online discussion between Vietnamese representative offices in the host country and the association of Vietnamese students

Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc joined a recent online discussion between Vietnamese representative offices in the host country and the association of Vietnamese students there, focusing on measures to support Vietnamese citizens and students in face of the COVID-19. 

During the discussion, participants heard worries and concerns from students, as well as inquiries on measures in their support.

Ambassador Ngoc affirmed the embassy and other representative offices are giving a special priority to the citizen protection work, including support to students in the current context. The embassy has asked local authorities to take measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the Vietnamese in the US, he elaborated.

The diplomat also asked the Vietnamese people there to keep calm and to take guidance by the US, advising that they should stay in the country if their conditions allow.

He asked the representative offices to continue upholding the spirit of responsibility as well as their utmost efforts to provide the best possible support to the Vietnamese citizens in the US.

A responsible Vietnam in COVID-19 fight

The German Embassy in Vietnam, on its Facebook page, thanks the Vietnamese Government for giving the Germans face masks. (Photo: German Embassy in Hanoi)

As the number of COVID-19 infections grows, so does global solidarity. Countries all around the world are strengthening international cooperation to defeat their shared enemy. 

“True friends – Thank you, Vietnam”, wrote the German Embassy in Vietnam on its Facebook page after receiving 110,000 anti-bacterial facemasks from the Vietnamese government.

The Embassy quoted Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung, highlighting the importance of international solidarity in the fight against the deadly novel coronavirus, praised the Vietnamese community in Germany for their efforts in fighting the epidemic, and cited the strength of the Germany-Vietnam friendship in this difficult period.

“Vietnam’s unity with France in the fight against COVID-19 is a reflection of the close friendship and cooperation between the two countries”, said the French Embassy in Vietnam upon receiving made-in-Vietnam facemasks which will be delivered to medical workers and patients in France in the next few days.

British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward thanked the Vietnamese government for its gift of medical equipment and 100,000 facemasks.

Mr. Ward said that healthcare is one of the key sectors in bilateral cooperation and the two countries will continue to work closely to combat COVID-19.

On its Facebook page, the US Embassy in Vietnam posted a tweet from President Donald Trump praising Vietnam for its cooperation in delivering 450,000 protective suits to the US. Trump said this was made possible by the partnership of Vietnam and American companies.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink said in a video clip posted on Facebook, “As strong partners, the US and Vietnam will get through this together. I hope each of you and your families stay safe and healthy. Partners stand together, and we stand together with Vietnam in the fight against COVID-19.”

Identifying containing the COVID-19 pandemic as a global task, Vietnam has worked closely with the international community to fight the disease since it broke out in Wuhan, China last December.

Despite limited resources, Vietnam has shared its experience and provided medical supplies and equipment to its neighbors. Cambodia’s healthcare leaders called Vietnam’s assistance vivid evidence of the close brotherly friendship and neighborliness between the two countries.

Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somdy Duangdy said Vietnam’s support is a source of encouragement for Lao healthcare workers and others.

Vietnam’s goodwill cooperation with other countries in this fight has received international praise. 

American magazine The Diplomat highlighted Vietnam’s recent assistance to five European nations, saying it illustrates the “continued willingness to assist other countries on a bilateral and multilateral basis to the best of its abilities, even as the country continues to remain vigilant about managing its own challenge at home”.

Vietnam donated 550,000 face masks to five European countries to support their fight against COVID-19.

The BBC lauded the overseas Vietnamese communities in several countries for their support for the local healthcare sector.

#StayHomeIsFun campaign encourages social distancing

Starting on April 1, Vietnam ordered a nationwide social distancing rule lasting 15 days to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Responding to the Prime Minister's call to action on "fighting epidemics like fighting against the enemy", the Ministry of Health, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) officially launched the campaign #ONhaVanVui (#StayHomeIsFun).

The campaign which calls on people to unite by staying home to prevent disease has attracted a huge interest from people across Vietnam.

The name #ONhaVanVui is inspired by the spirit of "self-insulated isolation", limiting social interaction, gatherings, reducing the rate of spread, avoiding overcrowding of the health system, thereby helping to control the epidemic.

Emeritus artist Thuy Dat was enjoying her time at home when she started to compose new songs on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, including a song in Xam style, a centuries-old singing style of the Vietnamese people.

Dat said, "People across Vietnam are joining hands to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. As an artist, I feel responsible to do something to contribute to this effort. Wearing masks, using hand sanitizer, keeping social distance... are among things we can do to help contain the virus. This is how we can show our love for the country and our fellow countrymen."

Many people have been encouraged to work from home and they have also found their own ways to make life more entertaining at home.

Rana Flower, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam, has enthusiastically responded to the campaign. With more time at home, she can prepare more food for her little daughter like frozen grapes and share her clips of making food online. 

With the #ONhaVanVui campaign, the organizers urge users to share interesting activities at home and of themselves.

From every day activities like cooking, exercising, and study time, to more unique and personal activities like; dressing up in beautiful clothes for fashion shows, humming to music, dancing freely, etc.

In addition, users can interact and connect with friends and the community while erasing feelings of boredom and negativity from having to leave the workplace and familiar shops.

Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Hau A Lenh noted, "As the pandemic is getting more complicated, people are encouraged to stay at home to protect themselves and others as well to contain the spread of the virus. Let’s turn this into a special opportunity for us to better connect with others and do something good to yourself, your family, and the society."

Programming contest launched to combat COVID-19

A hackathon has been launched to look for innovative ideas in education, healthcare, information and economics to tackle the COVID-19 epidemic.

The “Hack Covy” programming contest is expected to attract over 500 young Vietnamese programmers, innovators and designers across about 100 projects.

It is an initiative of the Hanoi Youth Union, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam and AngelHack Vietnam. The organisers, together with the participation of many experts, will establish online channels offering contestants opportunities to take part in discussions, team-building and the use of advanced technology throughout the competition.

Contestants will send their finished projects, along with a 2-minute video giving an overview of their ideas, to the organisers from now until April 16.

Across three days between April 17-19, participants will present their projects online before a jury panel, which then will announce the three best projects on April 24.

The three winning projects will receive development support worth 2,000 USD each before being released to the market. In addition, the top 10 will be able to register on the fundraising platform https://jong.ventures.

Over 300,000 USD raised to help needy against COVID-19

A family in HCM City prepares food portions free of charge for poor people and hospital staff (Photo: www.sggp.org.vn)

About 7 billion VND (300,000 USD) was donated to a programme during a recent signing ceremony in Hanoi to help the needy in the context of the raging COVID-19.

The programmed, launched by Vietnam Youth League, aims to provide daily food portions to those individuals hard hit by the pandemic, as well as medical equipment for physicians fighting the disease.

It will be implemented from April 15 in the five major cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong and Can Tho. The portions will be directly delivered to the poor, the old, the homeless, laid off workers, and so on.

This is in response to the call by the Prime Minister that nobody is left behind in the period of the pandemic, organisers said.

Speaking at the ceremony, a representative of the youth organisations described the donation was a manifestation of social responsibility of firms towards the Vietnamese people. Meanwhile, representatives of the donors expressed the hope that the initiative will be broadened to other localities to help the needy.

Vietnam Airlines brings 12 Vietnamese stranded in Japan home

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has flied 12 Vietnamese citizens stranded in Japan back home on a flight on April 12, according to an representative of the airline.

The flight VN311 departed Tokyo at 8:00am (Vietnam time), heading to Hanoi, as a joint effort among Vietnam Airlines, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan and Japanese authorities.

On board of the flight were a group of Vietnamese passengers who have stuck at Narita International Airport for 10 days due to Japan’s entry restrictions for fear of COVID-19 and airlines temporarily halt flights to Vietnam. There were also Vietnamese people with difficulties supported by the embassy to return home.

Flight VN311 is a freight flight and only carries passengers in case of emergency. All of its crew members were equipped with full personal protective suits while the passengers underwent medical checks before boarding the flight and were required to wear masks during the journey.

All the passengers will be transferred to a centralised quarantine area while disinfection of aircraft will be immediately implemented right after the airplane lands in Hanoi.

The representative said relevant Vietnamese agencies and the airline have been closely coordinating to conduct more flights to bring more Vietnamese citizens home in the coming time.

Thailand reports decline in new COVID-19 infections

Praram 9 hospital in Bangkok capital city of Thailand

Thailand on April 12 confirmed 33 new SARS-CoV-2 infections and three three more deaths, bringing the country's total number of COVID-19 patients to 2,551 and the toll to 38.

The number of confirmed new cases was lower than the 45 recorded one day earlier, and marks the fourth straight day of decline.

Bangkok reported the largest number of infections, while largest transmission rate was seen in Phuket. 

Besides, the Thai government is warning that the COVID-19 can be contracted within people's own homes after significant transmissions were recorded among family members between April 4 and 10.

As many as 144 of the 495 new infections reported in the period, or 29 percent, are people who were in close contact with existing patients. Up to 56 percent in this group contracted the virus from family members, especially spouses, according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

The second-highest amount of transmissions occurred in workplaces at 23 percent, followed by 18 percent  at social gatherings and 3 percent from other sources.

All COVID-19 patients will be treated for free at all hospitals in Thailand, with the costs paid by three healthcare funds, effective retroactively from March 5.

Under a Public Health Ministry announcement, all hospitals, public and private, must do their best to treat the patients without delay until they are out of immediate danger or transferred to other hospitals based on their coverage. They may not charge the patients but can bill the National Health Security Office (NHSO) later.

A patient will have to pay medical bills only when he chooses not to be treated at the hospital he is entitled to use.

The country will also need up to 400 experienced nurses to take care of the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

President of Thailand Nursing Midwifery Council Thassana Boonthong said nurses specialised in caring for patients in critical condition are in high demand as hospitals are allocating more beds for COVID-19 patients.

Nghe An records masses of negative COVID-19 tests after Bach Mai Hospital visit

As many as 700 people who had recently visited Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi tested negative for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on April 11, according to Nghe An Province’s Centre for Disease Control.

Approximately 1,000 people in Nghe An province are known to have received medical treatment at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi between March 10 and 24.

With roughly 300 people showing no symptoms of the virus after going over 14 days since returning from the hospital, authorities made the decision not to test them.

As a result, the provincial health sector only took samples from the other 700 cases, with each of the results ultimately coming back negative for the COVID-19 on April 11.

Currently there are 58 cases of people who recently returned from Bach Mai Hospital being isolated at their residence in Nghe An province, with a further 10 cases in concentrated isolation zones, and an additional 34 cases being put into isolation in hospital.

At present the provincial health sector has been able to take samples from 4,335 cases, with more than half testing negative for the virus whilst the remaining cases are currently waiting to receive their results.

In order to combat the COVID-19, medical workers plan on taking samples from 1,000 individuals currently in concentrated isolation zones locally.

V.League 1 champions Hanoi FC donate VND2 billion to COVID-19 fight

Reigning V.League 1 champions Hanoi FC on April 9 donated an array of essential goods and cash totaling approximately VND2 billion to the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) to support the country’s efforts to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

Hanoi FC donate an array of essential goods and cash totaling approximately VND2 billion to the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) to support the country for COVID-19 combat. 

The donation is largely made up of contributions given by the club’s footballers.

T&T sport joint stock company, the owners of Hanoi FC, expect that the donation to the VFF will enable both medical workers and soldiers on the frontline of the COVID-19 battle to get the essential goods they need.

Speaking about the donation, footballer Pham Thanh Luong expressed hope the items will serve as a great source of encouragement for people fighting the epidemic.

On behalf of Hanoi FC’s footballers, midfielder Do Hung Dung sent the team’s sincere thanks to all doctors, nurses, and soldiers nationwide who are working tirelessly to overcome tremendous difficulties and cure COVID-19 patients.

He added that if the community works in solidarity, all citizens will be able to return to their normal lives soon.

The donation comes after Hanoi FC offered VND1 billion to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on March 31, in addition to a further VND500 million to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology as part of their contribution to help contain the COVID-19 epidemic. VNA/Vietnamnet/VNS/VOV