The Ministry of National Defence on March 4 held a largest-ever online drill in response to COVID-19 with the involvement of military units across the country.

At the event (Photo: VNA)

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also head of the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, monitored the exercise.

The drill took place with five hypothetical scenarios based on five levels of severity of the epidemic. In the most serious scenario, there are more than 30,000 confirmed cases in the country and the virus has spread to several military units.

It also included the implementation of a 600-bed hospital and the quarantine of people who come to Vietnam from disease-hit countries via airports, along with coordination between forces and special measures in case of emergency.

Addressing the event, Deputy PM Dam lauded the defence ministry’s organisation of the drill, which, he said, not only responds to the epidemic but also prepares for future non-traditional security incidents.

According to Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Defence Minister, the army has put more than 10,000 people in quarantine, with no infections among soldiers recorded so far