Vietnam reports no new COVID-19 cases since Feb 13

A worker sprays disinfectant at a classroom of the Viet Duc High School in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district on February 2 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has reported no new confirmed cases of the new (COVID-19) since
February 13, heard at a meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19
Prevention and Control in Hanoi on February 21.

Healthcare
facilities at the district level and higher are capable of
treating patients infected with .

As of February 21 afternoon, 15 of the 16 patients with COVID-19 in
Vietnam had been cured and discharged from hospital. The 15th case, a Vietnamese
American, at HCM City’s Tropical Diseases Hospital repeatedly tested negative
from February 12 – 17 and was discharged on February 21.

Vietnam still
has 28 suspected cases and nearly 5,650 people in close contact with those may have the virus or those
returning from epidemic areas. All of them are under quarantine.

By February 21 noon, there are 76,727 confirmed cases in 29 countries and
territories worldwide and the number of deaths reached 2,247. In China alone,
75,465 cases have been reported with 2,236 deaths.

New cases may be reported in the coming time, but with the rising
temperature and effective treatment plans in place, Vietnam is capable of
containing the outbreak and ensuring safety for economic and cultural events,
said Tran Dac Phu, former director of the Health Ministry’s Preventive Health Department.

Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung noted the World
Health Organisation (WHO), international organisations and diplomatic corps
have recommended that in the current situation, Vietnam can soon think about
reopening schools.

Deputy
Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do said the ministry is
considering to allow students to go back to school starting from March 2, given
that longer shutdown would causing difficulties for teaching and learning in
this 2019-2020 academic year.

The ministry
will accelerate communication campaigns to educate students on how to stay safe
during the COVID-19 outbreak, Do added.

He moved on to
say that the ministry will work with the People’s Committees of HCM City and
Hanoi on February 22 to discuss HCM City’s proposal to extend school break
until the end of March./.