Vietnam shows effective control of coronavirus outbreak

A Vietnamese American has been discharged from Ho Chi Minh City Tropical Diseases Hospital today, bringing the number of patients recovering from coronavirus to 15. 

Ta Kien Hoa, 73 years old, is the oldest patient infected with corona virus following his two-hour transit in Wuhan airport on January 15. Since then, he was treated in Ho Chi Minh City and has recently been tested negative to coronavirus twice but still hospitalised for a few days due to pre-existing health conditions. 

Yesterday, a three-month old infant, the youngest coronavirus-infected case in Vietnam, was cleared of the virus and discharged from a Hanoi hospital.

As of Friday, 15 out of 16 confirmed patients have been fully recovered, making Vietnam one of the top countries with the highest rate of successful treatment. There has been no new case confirmed since February 13, thanks to drastic and comprehensive measures by the Vietnamese Government and local authorities.

The only remaining patient is a 50-year-old man from Vinh Phuc province.

The novel coronavirus that originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan rapidly spread to 30 countries and territories across the world, including Vietnam. The outbreak has caused 2,247 dead and 76,723 people infected, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Health.

Vietnam has declared a public health emergency in Vinh Phuc, Khanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa provinces and Ho Chi Minh City which have confirmed 16 patients so far.

Khanh Hoa province recently declared itself virus-free when no more cases discovered after 30 days since a patient, who is a hotel receptionist, recovered. 

Vinh Phuc’s Son Loi commune which has the most cases with 11 infected patients has been placed under quarantine since last week to prevent the spread of disease.

The quarantine of the commune, the first mass quarantine outside of China since the outbreak of virus, is expected to last for 20 days.

Vietnam authorities have also taken lots of measures in the fight against the coronavirus during month as setting up isolated areas in border and in residential areas or temporarily closing some trading activities in border gates with China.

On February 10, as assigned by the Government, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has operated a flight to return 30 Vietnamese nationals from Wuhan – the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Flights were operated from Hanoi to Wuhan to deliver medical supplies from the Government of Vietnam to the Government and people of China, as well as supplies from Vietnam Airlines to Chinese carriers.

Since February 1, Vietnam’s civil aviation authority has suspended all flights to China. 

Vietnam also temporarily stopped issuing visas for Chinese tourists since January 30 and foreign visitors who have visited China, including transit, in the past 14 days from arrival will also be denied entry into Vietnam.

Besides, local authorities are urged to limit traditional festivities and gatherings during Lunar New Year Holiday and many provinces across the country have extended the prolonged school break even to the end of this month because of the outbreak.