276 Vietnamese from Canada arrive at Van Don Airport in Quang Ninh
Province on May 1, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Binh Minh.
 

A Vietnam Airlines flight carrying 276 Vietnamese citizens from Canada landed Friday at the Van Don Airport in Quang Ninh Province. 

A representative of the Van Don Airport in the northern province said that 276 Vietnamese people, including students under 18, the elders, people in difficult circumstances, people undergoing medical treatment, tourists or employees whose visas had expired in Canada, were supported by diplomatic agencies to return to Vietnam.

Before boarding, passengers had their temperatures checked, were interviewed on their health status and required to wear masks throughout the journey.

Van Don Airport is still receiving international flights from pandemic zones with special safety measures. All immigration, customs and containment procedures are conducted outside the station to ensure safety for the airport’s general operations. After completion of procedures, passengers are taken to quarantine centers and their health monitored for 14 days.

This is the 39th flight that the Van Don Airport has received after it was assigned by the government as one of the few airports in the country that can receive flights from pandemic areas, after it suspended international flights on March 25. The airport will begin operating commercial flights from May 4 onwards.

Canada is the third largest Covid-19 hotspot in the Americas, after the U.S. and Brazil. The country has over 53,000 infections and recorded more than 3,000 deaths.

Since mid-April, Vietnam has worked with many countries like the U.K., Italy and Japan to organize flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home after the suspension of commercial flights as a safety and containment measure.

Starting March 22, Vietnam also suspended entry for all foreign nationals, including those of Vietnamese origin and family members with visa waivers. Only Vietnamese nationals and foreigners having diplomatic and official passports, and certain business managers, experts and high-skilled workers are allowed to enter the country at this time, and all entrants will be quarantined for 14 days.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry confirmed no fresh coronavirus case as of Saturday morning, keeping Vietnam’s Covid-19 count at 270 since last Friday. Of the 51 active cases, 12 are relapsed patients.