Up to 270 Vietnamese citizens who had been stranded in Malaysia as a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) joined a Vietnam Airlines flight which departed from Kuala Lumpur to Danang on May 10.

270 Vietnamese citizens stranded in Malaysia repatriated 

The majority of passengers were made up of people under the age of 18, the elderly, those with medical issues, students with no accommodation following the closure of their dormitories, holidaymakers, those whose visas have expired, and guest workers who have been forced to have their labour contracts terminated.

The flight was able to take place following the great support provided by relevant Vietnamese agencies, the Vietnamese embassy in Malaysia, along with national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines.  

Upon arrival at Danang International Airport, all passengers and crew members underwent medical check-ups and were subsequently placed into quarantine in line with regulations.

Since mid-April, Vietnam has been working closely alongside other countries globally such as the United States, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates to put on flights for the purpose of bringing Vietnamese citizens abroad after the majority of countries worldwide have moved to suspend commercial routes as a safety and containment measure.

As of 6am on May 11, the country has recorded no new COVID-19 infection in the community for 25 consecutive days, with the patient tally therefore remaining at 288, according information released by the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

At present, 241 patients have been discharged from hospitals nationwide.