Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc called on authorities at all levels and citizens to continue staying vigilance against COVID-19 as winter nears. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc presides over a meeting on COVID-19 response
in Ha Noi on October 19, 2020. Photo: VGP

Addressing a meeting on COVID-19 response on Monday afternoon, the Government chief demanded serious implementation of measures to prevent the re-emergence of COVID-19 as the country has gone 47 days without a single community infection.

He also required strict management of quarantine sites and hotels designated as paid quarantine facilities as well as strict border control to prevent illegal entrants.

The Ministry of Health is responsible for conducting regular inspection and surveillance of COVID-19 prevention work at hospitals and medical establishments, said PM Phuc.

Dwellers in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City are requested to wear mask while staying outdoors and on public transport means while all localities have to disseminate necessary instructions on how to properly wear masks and wash hands.

For flood-hit areas, the health sector must be ready to deal with both COVID-19 outbreaks and other infectious diseases.

As of 6:10 pm on Monday, Viet Nam confirmed 1,134 COVID-19 patients, including 1,046 recoveries and 35 fatalities.

The pandemic has spread to 217 countries and territories with total infections surpassing 40 million, of whom more than 1.1 million have been reported dead./.