Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen on March 15 inspected the prevention and control of the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 at Hanoi-based Noi Bai International Airport.

Medical staff at the Noi Bai international airport (Source: internet)

A representative of the airport said medical forces have taken 683 samples of passengers for tests, doubling the initial estimate. This work ran until midnight on March 15 with 700 more samples taken.

The customs force at the Noi Bai international border gate has increased its staff to facilitate customs clearance and solve the congestion at luggage claim areas.

According to Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan, a fact that passengers transiting through many countries makes it difficult to forecast the number of European visitors to Vietnam.

Tuyen, who is also deputy head of the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, said the committee has sent notices to ministries of national defence, public security, foreign affairs, and transport as well as People’s Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces about the implementation of quarantining measures for people entering the country.

He urged the transport ministry to quickly update the number of visitors from epidemic-hit nations to direct flights to land at different airports like Van Don in the north, Chu Lai in the central region and Can Tho in the south. 

If possible, it is necessary to carry out medical quarantine and declarations when passengers are still on board, he said.

The military forces are ready to transfer passengers to concentrated quarantining areas as regulated, he added.