The Department of Culture Sports and Tourism of the northern border province of Lao Cai has issued a document asking the tourism firms operating in the locality to suspend the entry and exit for tourists at the Lao Cai International Border Gate to China’s regions facing the risk of the acute pneumonia disease caused by the nCoV.

The Lao Cai International Border Gate in Lao Cai province (Photo: VNA)

Besides, the department has asked them to seriously abide by provisions and advisories by the Ministry of Health and relevant authorities on the prevention of the spread of the virus.

Earlier, tourism authorities of China’s Yunnan province sent a notice to Vietnamese tourism companies, asking them to suspend entry and exit for tourists at the province’s Hekou border gate from January 26.

By the end of January 26, 80 deaths from the nCoV-caused disease and 2,744 infected cases had been reported in China.

The virus has spread to more than 10 countries around the world.

Vietnam currently counts 59 suspected cases of nCoV, with two tested positive for the virus and being treated at the Cho Ray hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Both of the two are Chinese.