Viet Nam reported no new COVID-19 cases as of 6pm on May 28, marking 42nd day without new community infection case, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The total number of COVID patients remained unchanged at 327, including 187 imported cases who were quarantined upon arrival. 

As many as 278 have been cleared of the virus, accounting for 85% of the country's patient tally, and there has been no death. 

The current 49 active cases are being treated at nine national and provincial-level medial facilities, of whom six have been tested negative for the virus once, and 17 negative at least twice.

A total of 8,869 people who had been in close contact with COVID-19 patients or returned from pandemic-hit areas are under health surveillance, including 49 at hospitals, 7,008 at other concentrated facilities and 1,812 at places of residence.

Though the pandemic has been pushed back in Viet Nam, the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control agreed Thursday that Viet Nam should continue closing borders to foreign tourists, as external COVID-19 transmission risks still remain.

In a bid to recover the economy, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc presided over a meeting with businesses on May 9, during which he called on the business circle to take strong actions towards the V-shaped growth of the national economy through the rest of this year.

Trinh Thi Thuy, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the ministry has restarted domestic tourism through introduction of a range of promotion programs offering discounts and new products, resulting in positive signals, including high hotel occupancy of even 100%./.