Vietnam reported two new imported COVID-19 cases on June 8 morning, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 331, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The 330th patient is a 28-year-old Vietnamese woman, hailing from central Ha Tinh province’s Cam Xuyen district, who is working for a company in southern Ho Chi Minh City.

The 331st patient is a 47-year-old Vietnamese woman who lives in HCM City’s District 5. She works in the same company with the 330th patient.

On March 13, the two women left for Mexico from HCM City. Due to the border closure and flight ban, they stayed in Mexico until June 4 and then took a flight to Japan the following day. They returned to Vietnam on June 5 on the flight number VN319. After arriving at Da Nang airport, they were sent to a quarantine camp in central Quang Nam province. They tested positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 on June 7. Both are being treated at Quang Nam General Hospital.

Vietnam has reported no transmissions in the community for 53 straight days. Of the 24 patients being treated at health facilities nationwide, six have tested negative for the virus once and nine have tested negative twice.

As many as 9,088 people are under quarantine or health monitoring, including 72 at hospitals, 7,150 at concentrated quarantine facilities and 1,866 at home or their accommodations./.

More than 9,000 people under quarantine to prevent COVID-19 transmission

Viet Nam has gone 52 consecutive days without new COVID-19 community infection, reported the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Sunday evening.

As of 6:10 pm on Sunday, the country’s patient tally remained unchanged at 329, of whom 307 have been cleared of the virus, the committee said.

Of the current patients, 15 have tested negative at least once, the committee added.

As many as 9,088 people who have been in close contact with COVID-19 patients or returned from the pandemic-stricken areas are being isolated, including 72 at hospitals, 7,150 at centralized quarantine facilities, and 1,866 at places of residence.

Regarding British patient numbered 91, doctors a the Cho Ray Hospital said he still needs weeks to be freed from ventilator, and extensive care to recover movement.

The patient has been disconnected from the Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on Wednesday morning as nearly 60% of his lungs have improved.

The British national has undergone 81-day treatment after being confirmed having the virus on March 18. He was transferred from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases to Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on May 22 for further treatment.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health decided to set up a steering committee responsible for conducting a possible lung transplant for the patient.

As Viet Nam has successfully contained the pandemic, paving the way for the country to have restarted the economy, including allowing foreign experts and business managers to return to the nation.

So far, more than 1,800 foreign experts have been isolated in accordance with the current measures on COVID-19 containment and the figure is expect to increase by 2,700 in the next two months, according to the Ministry of Health.

In addition, about 5,661 Vietnamese citizens have been brought home from foreign countries and territories since April 24 following the Government’s efforts to have arranged 19 special repatriation flights.

Despite encouring signals from the COVID-19 fight, the National Steering Committee underlined the necessity to continue sticking to the “dual goals” of containing the pandemic and rebooting the economy, during its meeting last Friday.

The committee, led by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, agreed to continue strict management of crew members of international flights and quarantine of incoming travellers in favor of economic recovery./.

Nine more COVID-19 patients recover, total hits 316

Nine more COVID-19 patients have made a full recovery and were released from three treatment facilities across the country on Monday.

The recovered patients have lifted the country’s total cases being given the all-clear to 316, making up nearly 95 per cent of the total COVID-19 patients in Việt Nam.

They include eight Vietnamese patients, six at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hà Nội who returned to Việt Nam from Russia, two at the Thái Bình General Hospital, along with one 37-year-old British man (Patient No.271) at the Củ Chi Field Hospital in HCM City.

All of the patients have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 twice. Currently, they have no fever, are not coughing, have well-ventilated lungs and are in stable conditions.

They will continue to be isolated and monitored for the next 14 days, according to the Subcommittee of Treatment of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

To date, 49 foreign patients with COVID-19 have recovered and have been released from treatment facilities across the country.  Patient 91, UK pilot Stephen Cameron, is the last foreign patient who is still in critical condition and is being treated at the Chợ Rẫy General Hospital in HCM City, following successful COVID-19 treatment at HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Health officials say his condition has improved and he has been taken off life support last Wednesday.

On Monday morning, Việt Nam reported two new imported COVID-19 cases, bringing the country total cases to 331. The country also has reported no new infections among the community for the last 53 days and no fatalities have been reported.

Vietnam’s COVID-19 cases remain at 329 as of June 7

Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 cases on June 7 evening, meaning the country remained clear of community infections for 52 consecutive days.

Of the 329 confirmed cases to date, 189 are imported ones and were quarantined right after their arrival, posing no risk of transmissions in the community, said the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

At present, 9,088 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering Vietnam from pandemic-hit regions are being quarantined, including 72 at hospitals, 7,150 at concentrated quarantine establishments and 1,866 at home.

Up to 307 out of the 329 patients, equivalent to 93.3 percent, have been successfully cured.

The remaining 22 patients are undergoing treatment at medical establishments, of them six tested negative for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once and nine others tested negative for the virus at least twice.

Indonesia extends social restrictions in three major cities

The West Java administration in Indonesia has extended large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in Bogor, Depok and Bekasi (Bodebek) until July 2.

Head of the West Java COVID-19 task force Daud Achmad said the 28-day extension of the policy in Jakarta’s satellite cities became effective on June 6.

He said police would be sent to each district, village and sub-district based on the level of emergency. The policy would also be adjusted to Jakarta’s plan to gradually ease restrictions in several sectors in June.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has issued a circular on the province’s plan to prepare for the “new normal” to resume certain activities under health protocols.

As of June 7, Indonesia had confirmed 31,186 COVID-19 cases and 1,851 deaths nationwide.

The PSBB remains in place in four provinces and 10 cities and districts, with West Java seeing the longest enforcement.

The same day, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced to ease most restrictions on business activities from June 10, including a ban on travelling between states.

Muhyiddin said the country has brought COVID-19 under control and will enter the recovery stage until August 31.

In May, the Malaysian government gradually allowed businesses to reopen while closely following social distancing measures.

The country reported 19 new cases on June 7, bringing the total to 8,322, with 117 deaths./.

Cambodian hotels to gradually reopen after COVID-19

Cambodian hotels will resume operations shortly while international flights are expected to commence from mid-June since the COVID-19 crisis has been eased, according to Clais Chenda, president of the Cambodian Hotel Association.

She said her association discussed with members and they confirmed that they will reopen their hotels shortly, adding that the hotel industry in Cambodia mainly depends on international tourists.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the international airports around the world will resume operations from mid-June after closure for many weeks due to COVID-19.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen recently revealed that close to 169 companies in the country’s tourism sector had been closed temporarily, leaving 16,891 people unemployed.

To support the industry, the government has put forth solutions, including the extension for another two months of tax exemption from June to July for hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and tour operators./.

Vietnamese guest workers set to head abroad amid new normal

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has requested that all firms or organisations that send Vietnamese labourers abroad must ensure that stringent preventive measures are carried out in order to fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). 

This comes after the Ministry requested that efforts to send workers abroad must be promoted in order to contribute to the national economy.

The Ministry has therefore asked companies to work closely alongside foreign partners in an attempt to ensure the safety of Vietnamese guest workers according to regulations of their host country.

In addition, the medical treatment and relevant health care services for Vietnamese guest workers who are suspected of having the virus, or who test positive for the SARS-CoV-2 which causes the COVID-19, should also be ensured.

At present, a number of countries and territories which gradually receive Vietnamese guest workers have largely brought the COVID-19 epidemic under control. With infection rates slowing worldwide, they have lifted social distancing policies, making it possible for companies to welcome back guest workers, including those from Vietnam.