Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said this is “golden time” to contain spreading of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to Viet Nam . 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses a meeting on COVID-19 prevention
and control in at the Government Office in Ha Noi on March 16, 2020. Photo: VGP

He made the above statement while presiding over a meeting on prevention and control of the virus on Monday.

The Government chief reiterated the need to step up efforts in the fight against the pandemic and strictly fining those who disseminate misleading information or failing to honestly declare their medical status.

He asked for placing limits on mass gatherings, especially in urban areas and major metropolises while maintaining centralized quarantine and isolation at places of residence to mitigate transmission.

Phuc also asked for reduction of flights from stricken regions. The Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Transport shall decide on designated parking areas for such kind of to prevent transmission.

As the virus has spread swiftly across the world, especially in Europe, Phuc tasked central and military hospitals to get ready to cope with the evolution of the pandemic.

The virus has spread to 156 countries and territories with infection cases and fatalities rising to 169,368 and 6.501, according to the Ministry of Health.

Noticeably, the infection rate has quickened over the last 10 days, from 150,000 on March 6 to 170,230 as of 4:30 pm on Monday.

In Viet Nam, the Ministry of Health has reported 57 infection cases, of whom 16 had been cleared of the virus and exited hospitals while the rest have been confirmed since March 6.

The current 41 patients include 17 foreign nationals, most of them are British./.