Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, chairs the meeting.

Experts have suggested a review is needed of Vietnam’s testing strategy, in particular stepping up antigen testing, to match the developments of the COVID-19 epidemic in the country.

The steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, at a meeting in Hanoi on September 3, therefore assigned the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health to help businesses and units in studying and implementing the antigen testing method.

Regarding a scenario of 10,000 COVID-19 cases, the committee asked the Ministry of Health to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance in building a new testing strategy and present it shortly to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The finance ministry reported that Vietnam has so far spent nearly 400 million USD fighting the pandemic.

Professor Dang Duc Anh, head of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said that as antigen testing can produce accurate results in a short period of time, it should be used in public places like airports and concentrated quarantine areas, contributing to effectively fighting the pandemic.

The institute is working with the US on the transfer of the testing technology, which is expected to be rolled out in Vietnam at an early date, he added.

Other delegates at the meeting proposed Vietnam use all testing methods, including antigen testing and Realtime-LAMP, and that businesses join hands in the testing work.

According to the health ministry, as of 3 pm on September 3, Vietnam had 1,046 COVID-19 cases, including 748 recoveries and 35 deaths.

The ministry pointed to the risk of community transmission, particularly in the time ahead, when weather conditions are more favourable for the development of respiratory diseases.

Preventive measures therefore need to be maintained and enhanced, it said.

No new COVID-19 cases reported on September 4 morning

Vietnam confirmed no new COVID-19 cases in the morning of September 4, keeping the national count at 1,046, including 691 locally-transmitted cases, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

A total of 755 patients have been given the all-clear. Meanwhile, there have been 35 fatalities so far.

Among the active patients, 24 have tested negative for the coronavirus once, 52 twice, and 23 three times.

The committee’s treatment sub-committee said a number of COVID-19 patients are in serious health conditions and may die any time, most of them suffering from severe underlying diseases.

Nearly 61,970 who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or came from pandemic-hit regions are under quarantine nationwide.

The Ministry of Health has warned that the risk of community transmission still exists, and the weather in the time ahead is favourable for the development of respiratory diseases.

Therefore, preventive measures must be maintained and enhanced, it said.

Vietnamese expats support Da Nang hospital in combating COVID-19

Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) and families with Vietnamese adoptive children in Italy along with Italian friends have donated 4,200 EUR (nearly 5,000 USD) to Da Nang Hospital in the central city of Da Nang for emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hospital was the site of a cluster of COVID-19 cases when a new outbreak hit Da Nang City in late July.

In a letter sent to the Vietnamese community in Italy, the Italy – Vietnam assistance association praised Vietnam’s efforts in controlling the pandemic.

It noted that at the initial outbreak of COVID-19, Vietnam recorded only 415 cases of COVID-19 and no deaths. This success was attributable to the Government's appropriate and timely preventive measures and communication work.

However, after almost 100 days without any locally-transmitted cases, a new wave of COVID-19 began on July 25 from the central tourist city of Da Nang, it noted.

The association decided to launch a fund-raising programme to support Da Nang hospital to overcome the challenging time.

Hospital visits restricted

Ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks at hospitals have revealed a need to change the long-held practice of visiting family and friends in hospital, with hospitals urged to introduce preventive measures and impose restrictions on visits.

Vietnam’s second outbreak of COVID-19, in central Da Nang city, was found to have originated in three of its hospitals. Figures show that as many as 11,000 people visited Da Nang General Hospital during the time in question.

Around 40,000 people visited Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi during March, when it experienced an outbreak.

Hospital K’s extension unit in Tan Trieu, Hanoi, has 10,000 people walk through its doors every day.

Since early August, both outpatients and inpatients can only be accompanied by one person, which has received a positive response and support from patients.

As well as temperature checks and health declarations at the front gate, each hospital department must check temperatures once again and screen anyone considered a risk.

This policy has also been adopted at other hospitals. But some people still break the rules, even taking fever-reducing medication so they can pass a temperature check or making untruthful health declarations.

Hospital visits can result in a high risk of cross-infection, making hospitals a likely centre of an outbreak. Visiting practices need to be re-considered, for the well-being of both patients and visitors.

Deputy PM calls for global unity to overcome COVID-19 crisis

International and regional cooperation is more important than ever before for the world to overcome the COVID-19 crisis, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said on September 3 when attending a virtual conference of the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers.

Minh spoke highly of G20 countries’ efforts and contributions to the battle against the pandemic, and thanked them for supporting Vietnam to response to the outbreak and bring its citizens home safely.

Vietnam, in its role as the Chair of ASEAN in 2020, has worked closely with international partners to maintain cooperative activities, as well as proposed many initiatives to promote joint work in fighting the pandemic and recovering the economy, Minh said.

Sharing ASEAN and Vietnam’s experience in the prevention and control of the coronavirus epidemic, he laid stress on enhancing border management based on the premise of ensuring epidemic prevention and facilitating cross-border trade, investment and travel at the same time.

Minh expressed his hope that the G20 members will join hands with international organisations and other countries to form a set of principles on cross-border management and international travel facilitation.

All parties should share information and experience in ensuring health safety at border gates, apply technologies in detecting and tracing COVID-19 cases, while working together in vaccine development at rational costs, he added.

At the event, leaders of major international organisations and foreign ministers of G20 countries and invited countries reiterated the commitment to international collaboration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic so as to lessen its impacts on the economy and support post-pandemic recovery. They said they will promote joint cooperation frameworks to enhance preparedness and response capacity for future medical crises.

The special G20 foreign ministers’ conference took place amid the complex development of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world. It drew the participation of foreign ministers of G20 members and guest countries, along with leaders of international organisations such as the UN, WHO, WB and OECD.

Vietnam was invited to attend the event in its capacity as Chair of ASEAN in 2020.

Labourers from informal sector to benefit from second support package

Labourers from the informal sector who have been seriously affected by COVID-19 pandemic will benefit from the second support package proposed by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

According to the ministry, the package targets business households and small companies to help them recover, maintain and develop their business and production, thus improving income for labourers.

The MoLISA said labourers from the informal sector are a vulnerable group that face high risks but have access to few support policies.

Statistics in 2018 showed that 19.3 million people worked in the informal sector, accounting for 35.6 percent of the total employed labourers in the country. Their average income was 4.8 million VND (nearly 208 USD) per month, equivalent to only two thirds of those in the formal sector.

So far, a number of policies have been designed to support the group, including vocational training for rural labourers, employment consultations services, voluntary social insurance, and those related to labour safety and hygiene.

Over 7,000 aid packages presented to COVID-19-hit families

The Saigon Children’s Charity organisation (Saigonchildren) said on September 3 that it has raised over 10 billion VND (434,000 USD) from domestic and foreign entities and individuals, equivalent to over 7,000 aid packages since April.

Each package is enough for a four-member family for one month, which is being sent to poor households in the southern provinces of Dong Nai, Hau Giang, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang and Tra Vinh, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Executive Director of Saigon Children’s Charity Damien Roberts said the COVID-19 pandemic has affected job of over 30 million Vietnamese people. The hardest-hit ones include women, manual workers and those without labour contracts.

He added that the ultimate goal of the organisation is facilitating children’s best access to education. Therefore, it used part of donations to present scholarships to children of families economically hit by COVID-19 pandemic.

The organising continues raising fund to assist pademic-hit areas like Da Nang and Quang Nam and help children in need to go to school.

According to the organisation, Da Nang's economic growth dropped by 3.61 percent in the first half of this year, marking the first time the city failed to post growth.

The Da Nang municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said the city is now home to over 216,300 uncontracted workers. Over 50,000 poor and near-poor households are seriously hit by the pandemic./.

Thailand reports first new locally-transmitted case of COVID-19 after over 100 days

Thailand on September 3 reported the first locally-transmitted case of COVID-19 after more than 100 days, which was a man recently imprisoned in Bangkok.

In an announcement, the Thai Ministry of Corrections said the 37-year-old tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during weekly tests. He worked as a DJ at a night club and had neither travel abroad nor have close contact with COVID-19 patients.

Thailand has recorded no locally-transmitted case of COVID-19 since May 26. All cases reported during the past three months were imported cases detected in quarantine.

Meanwhile, Singapore confirmed new COVID-19 clusters at foreign worker dormitories. The health ministry said on September 3 that clusters were detected at three more dormitories with 43 cases.

Also on September 3, Indonesia announced 3,622 new cases and 134 new deaths, bringing the total count to 184,268 and fatalities to 7,750.

The same day, the Philippines reported an additional 1,987 cases, the lowest daily for the past five weeks, and 65 more deaths. The country has so far confirmed 228,403 cases of COVID-19 and 3,688 fatalities.

Cambodia reduces charge on COVID-19 tests for arriving foreigners

Cambodia will charge only 100 USD from foreigners for each of the required two COVID-19 tests and the rest of their deposit will be returned to them, the Health Ministry announced on September 2.

The ministry said in a notification that the first test will be conducted upon their arrival and the second test will be done on the 13th day of their quarantine.

Foreigners can get the tests done at the assigned health establishments closest to them and the payment will be deducted from their deposit with commercial banks which are the ministry’s partners.

The remainder of the deposit will be returned to the owner within three days after the second test shows a negative result.

In early August, the Cambodian government also lowered the cash deposit for the COVID-19 service charges from foreign travellers from 3,000 USD to 2,000 USD.

In the morning of September 3, Cambodia reported no new case of COVID-19 while five more patients recovered. The country’s total count was at 274, with 271 patients having recovered. 

Vietnam confirms 35th COVID-19 death

The Ministry of Health’s anti-COVID-19 task force in the central city of Da Nang on the afternoon of September 3 reported the death of another COVID-19 patient, the 35th fatality in Vietnam.

The 83-year-old woman from the south-central province of Phu Yen died at the Hoa Vang Medical Centre due to severe pneumonia and respiratory failure caused by COVID-19, and sepsis.

The patient had end-stage chronic kidney failure and a history of high blood pressure and gastrointestinal bleeding.

According to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, Vietnam did not record any new cases of COVID-19 on the morning of September 3, keeping its case tally at 1,046.

To date, 691 community infections of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 have been confirmed in the country, including 551 linked with Da Nang since the new outbreak began in the central city on July 25.

As many as 746 patients have recovered while 35, mostly elderly with serious underlying health conditions, succumbed to the disease.

Among those still under treatment, 27 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 53 twice, and 37 others three times. Some patients remain in a critical condition, according to the treatment sub-committee.

There are 63,651 people that had close contact with confirmed cases or came from pandemic-hit areas under quarantine at present, including 1,009 in hospitals, 15,949 in other quarantine facilities, and 46,693 at home.

Five additional COVID-19 patients receive all-clear

A further five novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients who had been treated in the central city of Da Nang and the northern province of Nam Dinh were declared to be free from the SARS-CoV-2 virus on the morning of September 3. 

Three of the patients, all of whom reside in Da Nang, were discharged from the Da Nang Hospital for Lung Diseases after getting the all-clear from health experts. Of them is a 19-year-old student from the Da Nang University of Technology who had been receiving treatment for 37 days after suffering from a prolonged fever.

It is believed that the young man contracted COVID-19 during a visit to his grandmother at Da Nang Hospital, later being admitted to the Da Nang Hospital for Lung Diseases on July 27 after testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Along with the three cases in Da Nang, two imported cases from Russia were announced to have made a full recovery from COVID-19 at a general hospital in the northern province of Nam Dinh.

Each of the cases are now in a stable health condition and have tested negative for COVID-19 at least three times.

They will now undergo a period of home quarantine for a further 14 days in line with regulations put forward by the Health Ministry.

At present the nation has recorded 1,046 infections and 35 COVID-19 related deaths.

Three Covid-19 mobile positive pressure isolation chambers donated to Dong Nai Province

TPC VINA, a joint venture between SCG, Vietnam Chemical Corporation, and Vietnam Plastic Company has handed over three Covid-19 mobile positive pressure isolation chambers to the Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front of Dong Nai Province.

When collecting the sample, the medical workforce is prone to get contacted with the virus in micro-droplet from the talking, sneezing, and coughing often happen during the swap. These mobile positive pressure isolation chambers aim to avoid direct contact between the sample collecting staff and the person providing the sample.

Having tested through the peak time of Covid-19 in Thailand, the mobile positive pressure isolation chamber concept is once again brought by SCG to Vietnam. The first batch of 04 chambers was delivered to Da Nang Center for Disease Control (CDC) early this August by SCG Cement – Building Materials LLC.

This time, TPC VINA presented three chambers to medical centers of Dong Nai Province including Dong Nai General Hospital, Dong Nai Lung Hospital, and Dong Nai Center of Disease Control (CDC).

Over 350 Vietnamese citizens brought home from Japan

More than 350 Vietnamese citizens have returned home safely from Japan on a flight on September 3.

ThE flight was arranged by Vietnamese authorities in conjunction with the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, Vietnam Airlines and Japanese authorities.

The passengers included children under 18 years old, pregnant women, the elderly, the sick, students who have finished their learning but lack accommodation due to dormitory closure, workers with expired labour contracts and those living in difficult circumstances.

Security, safety and disease prevention measures were seriously carried out during the flight.

Right after the plane landed at Cam Ranh International Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa, all people on board received check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine sites in line with regulations.