The Ministry of Health on January 3 reported the discovery of a further 12 imported COVID-19 cases, all Vietnamese, taking the overall number of infections in the country to 1,494.

All of the new cases who returned home from South Africa, Mexico, and the US and have been placed into isolation upon their arrival. They are now under health observation for COVID-19 treatment at local hospitals.

By January 3, the infection tally rose to 1,494, with locally transmitted cases at 693, and   imported cases at 801 which were immediately put into quarantine upon entry.

Among the patients undergoing treatment, 20 tested negative for the virus at least once or twice.

The same day, two more coronavirus patients were discharged from hospital after making a full recovery from the virus, lifting the total number of recoveries to 1,339. The fatality count due to COVID-10 remains unchanged at 35.

Currently, more than 18,740 people who returned from overseas or had contact with COVID-19 patients are being placed in quarantine for medical surveillance across the nation.

In order to live safely with the COVID-19 pandemic in the ‘new normal’, the Ministry of Health recommended people to wear face masks in crowded places, wash hands with soap or hand sanitiser regularly, avoid large gatherings, keep distance from each other and make health declarations.