With the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic being brought under control nationwide, various ministries and localities must remain vigilant against the resurgence of the virus, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc says despite the COVID-19 pandemic brought under control,
reventive measures have been in place. (Photo: VGP).

Addressing permanent Cabinet members during a meeting in Hanoi on September 11, PM Phuc noted that the country has registered no new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections for the past nine days in a row. A new normal has therefore been established, while economic and business production has also resumed.

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam has so far recorded a total of 1,059 COVID-19 cases, including 402 involving individuals returning from overseas, along with 657 locally transmitted cases. In addition, as many as 893 patients have gone on to make a full recovery and have since been discharged from hospital.  

Most notably, up to 551 cases involving community transmission have been confirmed since the resurgence of the virus in late July. The death toll caused by the virus has also risen to 35, with the majority of deceased cases also suffering from underlying health issues.

The ministry has recently declared that the outbreaks which have hit hotspots such as Da Nang and Quang Nam have been brought under control. This is also the case with the latest outbreak in Hai Duong province, with travel restrictions previously imposed on Ngo Quyen street where the virus had originally been detected being lifted on September 11. 

PM Phuc attributed the successful results achieved in the COVID-19 fight to drastic measures taken by the Government, alongside efforts made by various ministries, agencies, and localities, which ultimately prevented the virus from spreading wider among the community. 

Despite this success, the PM requested that ministries and localities remain highly vigilant due to the virus evolving in a complicated manner. He therefore urged them to encourage local residents to continue imposing preventive measures aimed at keeping the virus at bay in the community. 

He reminded designated agencies, especially those in the health sector, of the possibility of a virus resurgence in September and the remaining months of the year when the country opens its borders to a number of commercial international flights. 

Vietnam is scheduled to reopen six international routes starting from September 15 to Taiwan (China), Guangzhou in China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Cambodia, and Laos. Indeed, the number of visitors in isolation is estimated to stand at approximately 5,000 per week in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son, the health sector is devising a plan aimed at testing hordes of foreigners once the country resumes international air routes, with the sector having the capability of carrying out testing.