Vietnam suspends visa-free travel for 8 European countries due to Covid-19 spreading

The latest move was announced by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a meeting on Covid-19 prevention and control, coming after Vietnam confirmed an additional 18 cases from last Friday of which most were from a flight from the UK.

The flight landed at the Noi Bai International Airport on March 2 and 13 of the passengers, including nine foreign nationals have been tested positive for coronavirus.

Speaking at the meeting, Phuc stated that Vietnam is capable and experienced enough to control the Covid-19 epidemic and considers protection of citizens as the most important task. He called for consolidating preparedness, including medical capacity of both central and local levels to promptly deal with all scenarios.

He also required the ministries and local authorities not sending staffs abroad except receiving special permission of the Prime Minister.

After 22 days without any new infection, Vietnam now has 35 patients affected by novel coronavirus of whom over a half were confirmed in juts a few days. 16 patients have fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26.

In late January, Vietnam has decided to stop issuing visas for Chinese tourists and closed border gates with the country. Then the government of Vietnam has decided to suspend the visa exemption for Korean nationals starting on February 29 and do the same for Italians.

All domestic airlines now suspend the operation Vietnam – China and Vietnam – South Korea routes.

Over the world, Europe is becoming a new hotspot after South Korea with high increasing of new cases and total cases, for example Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland or Netherlands.

All 60 Italian million residents have been placed under lockdown in a latest move of its government amid unprecedented Covid-19 outbreak.