Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered ministries, sectors, and localities to thoroughly review COVID-19 prevention measures and scenarios ahead of the 13th National Party Congress slated for January 25-February 2.

Illustration photo

The Government chief tasked ministers, chairmen of provinces and centrally-run cities, and heads of subordinate steering committees for COVID-19 prevention and control to strengthen preventive measures amid complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, especially the emergence of new strains.

Especially, the PM requested assigning other officials to handle the work in replace of members of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control who will participate in the National Party Congress.

Earlier, one new imported COVID-19 case was recorded on January 13, bringing the country's patient tally to 1,521, including 693 local infections.

Of the tally, 1,369 have recovered and exited hospitals while the number of fatalities stands at 35.

On January 13, the Ministry of Transport required the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to temporarily suspend the licensing of flights from countries and territories with new COVID-19 variants that spread faster, first of all those from the UK and South Africa./.