Vietnam’s health minister warns over new wave of COVID-19 pandemic

Ngoc Van Friday | 03/26/2021 15:23

A medical staff stands guard at a Covid-19 checkpoint in Cam Giang District, Hai Duong Province, February 15 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long has warned of the 4th wave of coronavirus after two illegal entrants tested positive for COVID-19.

The two illegal entrants are Vietnamese women, both aged 25. The pair returned to Vietnam on a fishing vessel that arrived in Phu Quoc Island of the southern province of Kien Giang on March 22.

One of them travelled by boat from the island to the mainland before taking a bus to Ho Chi Minh City while the other flew to Ha Noi via Vietjet Air flight VJ458 before travelling to the northern port city of Hai Phong in a private car.

Both of them went to medical facilities in Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong on March 24 for medical check and were confirmed positive for COVID-19 the next day.

In a related move, the Ha Noi Center for Disease Control issued an urgent announcement calling on passengers onboard the flight VJ458 from Phu Quoc to Noi Bai on March 22 to self-isolate at home.

Vietnam has recorded 2,581 Covid-19 cases and 1,603 of them are community transmissions.

Source: VGP