How safe is Vietnam in the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

Vietnam's coronavirus situation update

All 16 people in Vietnam infected with a new coronavirus have been cured, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday, adding that no new cases have been recorded since Feb 13.

The last known patient, a 50-year-old man infected by his daughter who returned from China's central city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged, has recovered and is in good condition, the ministry said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear when the last patient would be discharged from hospital.

The rest, including a three-month-old baby, is improving, the ministry added.

Vietnam's first report of the virus was about two Chinese citizens infected on Jan. 23.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removes Vietnam from the list of 'Other Destinations with Risk Covid-19 of Community Spread'

February 27, at the teleconference of the Vietnam Embassy in the US with the US Department of State, the U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has decided to remove Vietnam from the list of "Other Destinations with Risk Covid-19 of Community Spread".

Mr. Mitchell Wolfe, Chief Medical Officer, Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Photo: Vietnamese Embassy in the United States.

According to the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), in the delegation of more than 40 US businesses to Vietnam from March 3 to 6, there will be about 20 businesses specializing in health and pharmaceuticals to promote opportunities for cooperation on health with Vietnam.

Why is Vietnam safe between the Covid-19 disease?

Indeed, Vietnam has a more rigid censorship regime

• Vietnam's efforts at this time are focused concurrently on containing spread of this virus and mitigating the impact of this virus. The government is operationalizing all of its pandemic preparedness and response plans, working on multiple fronts to meet these goals, especially in raising awareness of people and the community
• Vietnam has implemented mandatory health declarations at all international border gates for passengers arriving from South Korea, Japan, Italy, and Iran. As per standard procedures, they will be quarantined for 14 days as a precaution.
• Vietnam’s civil aviation authority suspended all flights to mainland China
• Vietnamese nationals from China, South Korean have arrived in Vietnam and will be quarantined for 14 days as a precaution.
• The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has announced a list of medical supplies including masks, dry hand sanitizers, filters, epidemic prevent suits, among others exempt from tax until the epidemic ends

Reminder for you

While travel to Vietnam can continue, we recommend taking precautions and following advice from Vietnam’s Ministry of Health. The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections include the following: 

• Wash hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub;
• Cover nose and mouth with tissues or inside of elbow when coughing or sneezing;
• Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms;
• Thoroughly cook meat and eggs; and
• Avoid unprotected contact with live wild or farm animals
• Visitors from countries around the world (except mainland China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran) are still granted Vietnam visas as normal but are not allowed to visit the epidemic areas during their trips to Vietnam.

(Content source: CDC and Vietnam MOH; Editing by Vietnam Immigration Net)