Vietnam confirms 31st COVID-19 case, famous hotels disinfected

The new patient is a 49-year-old man of British nationality. He was on Flight VN0054 of Vietnam Airlines, entering Vietnam on March 2.

The victim is being treated at a hospital in the central province of Quang Nam. He is in stable condition.

Earlier, 11 other passengers on this flight tested positive for COVID-19. Thus, the 12 infections on this flight include 10 overseas passengers mostly coming from the UK.

According to the Hanoi Tourism Department, a total of 36 overseas passengers on Flight VN0054 stay at several famous hotels in Hanoi, including Melia, Movenpick, Pullman, and Sofitel Legend Metropole.

On March 8, The People’s Committee of Trang Tien ward, issued a dispatch regarding the implementation of preventive measures to combat the spread of the COVID-19 to the Board of Directors of the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel which hosts two British tourists who were on flight VN0054 and tested positive for COVID-19.

Medical workers then moved to spray disinfectant throughout the renowned hotel on the morning of March 9.

According to the dispatch, the COVID-19 Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of Trang Tien wardannounced that two British nationals stayed at the hotel between March 2 and March 5. The hotel was also requested not to receive any new guests as of 22:00 on March 8 until the conclusion of the quarantine process stated in the regulations set out by the health sector.

In addition to these measures, the hotel is also required to compile a list of all staff who had come in close contact with the infected tourists whilst also collecting information regarding their movements between March 2 and the present.

According to the latest update from the Ministry of Health, as of 19:30pm of March 9, 111,342 people were infected by COVID-19, with the global mortality count reaching 3,879. The number includes 3,119 deaths in China.

In the EU, the UK, and other countries, the number of new infections is increasing rapidly.

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control plans to propose the prime minister to suspend the unilateral visa waiver programme for the EU and the UK as a way to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

Countries outside the EU bloc having over 500 infection cases or having a daily increase of over 50 cases are also proposed to have the visa waiver halted.

Deputy Prime Minister and head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control Vu Duc Dam said that Vietnam is now in the second scenario of fighting against the novel epidemic. He affirmed the country makes preparations for potential serious developments while stressing that the situation is still well under control.

From March 7, Vietnam has also started to apply compulsory electronic health declarations for all passengers entering Vietnam.

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