Vietnam confirmed four fresh imported COVID-19 cases on January 7, raising the total number of infections to 1,509, according to the Ministry of Health.

All the new patients came from the United States, and entered Cam Ranh Airport on flight VN44 after transiting in the Republic of Korea on January 1. Their test results came back positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus at Nha Trang Pasteur Institute on January 6. They are currently being isolated to receive treatment at Phu Yen General Hospital. Earlier, 7 cases were confirmed positive for the virus on this same flight.

Among the patients currently undergoing treatment nationwide, 14 have tested negative for the virus once, six have tested negative twice, and seven have recorded negative tests three time, while the number of deaths related to the disease remains at 35.

As of January 7, the nation’s total number of infections stands at 1,509, with locally transmitted cases accounting for 693 of the overall figure, whilst imported cases make up 816, with each of these being immediately placed into isolation upon entering the country.

Furthermore, up to 19,392 individuals who came into close contact with COVID-19 patients or who entered the nation from pandemic-hit regions are currently in quarantine nationwide.

Moreover, during a meeting held on January 7 the Standing National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control outlined the increasingly complicated developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic globally. At present the country is preparing to welcome the Lunar New Year festival, known locally as Tet, and organise the National Party Congress.

In order to cope with this situation, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued a series of directives relating to pandemic prevention and control.

Members of the Steering Committee and health experts said that despite the emergence of a new strain of COVID-19, the nation must move forward with effective pandemic countermeasures, particularly the 5K campaign launched by the Ministry of Health. This includes, “Khau trang”, “facemask, “Khu khuan”, “disinfection”, “Khoang cach” “distance”, “Khong tu tap”, “no gathering”, and “Khai bao y te”, “health declaration”, with this policy helping citizens get used to living safely with the COVID-19 pandemic as the country enters  the new normal.

Moving forward, it will be up to each industry and locality to ensure safety in all production and business activities, members emphasised.

During the meeting Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Steering Committee Vu Duc Dam asked the Ministry of Health to scrutinise all pandemic prevention procedures and strictly handle violations.