Health workers in southern Kien Giang province checks temperature for a local (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 cases on May 4 morning, marking 18 days in a row since April 16 without new infections in the community, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The country has so far confirmed 271 cases tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2, including 219 recoveries and no deaths.

The committee’s treatment subcommittee reported that 12 patients tested negative for the virus once and nine others tested negative twice or more.

A total 27,409 people having close contact with patients or coming from pandemic-hit countries are under quarantine at hospitals, concentrated quarantine areas, or at home.

The Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 (Vabiotech) of the Ministry of Health has gained initial success in studying a potential coronavirus vaccine.

Right after the first COVID-19 case was reported in Vietnam in January 2020, the company partnered with the UK’s Bristol University to conduct research on the vaccine.

Blood test samples on mice will be sent to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for evaluation.

Five Buddha bar-linked patients test positive again

A corner of Buddha Bar in HCMC’s District 2. The city has reported five relapses related to the hotspot – PHOTO: THE HCMC MEDIA CENTER

The HCMC Department of Health last night said two more recovered Covid-19 patients had tested positive again, all linked to the Buddha Bar cluster in District 2.

The relapses are the 235th and the 124th patient, who were discharged from hospital on April 15 and April 14, respectively. They visited Buddha Bar on March 14. Earlier, the city reported three relapses related to the hotspot, including the 151st, 207th and 224th.

Besides this, the 92nd patient, a 21-year-old Vietnamese student returning from France, has tested positive again after being given the all clear on April 14. All the relapses are now being treated at Cu Chi field hospital.

According to the health department, HCMC has seen 54 positive cases so far. Aside from the six relapses, local doctors are treating the 91st patient, a British pilot, who is still suffering critical developments. He obtained a negative result on April 30.

On Friday, the department also announced to keep recovered Covid-19 patients under health monitoring for 30 days instead of 14.

This morning also marks the 16th straight day that Vietnam has not reported any infection caused by community transmission. It has also been eight days in a row that Vietnam has confirmed no new Covid-19 patient, keeping its total count at 270 since last Friday when two imported cases were confirmed.

HCMC’s condo building lockdown lifted

The apartment building at 1A-1B Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street in HCMC’s District 1 is under lockdown on April 30 – PHOTO: CATPHCM

Authorities of HCMC’s District 1 have lifted the lockdown on an apartment building at 1A-1B on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street as 92 people in close contact with a recovered Covid-19 case that retested positive have returned negative test results.

The 92nd case, who lives in Block B2 of the building and returned to Vietnam from France, tested positive for the coronavirus on April 29 after recovery, prompting local authorities to lock down the building to take samples from those with potential exposure to the patient and disinfect the area. The patient was sent to Cu Chi field hospital in the city for treatment.

According to a representative of the district, some 32 people from 11 households who share the same story with the patient and some other families on the first floor are still self-quarantining. Da Kao Ward is calling for food donations to the households.

“The 92nd patient contacted no one at the building during the quarantine period. However, after testing negative twice, he went to a convenience store nearby to buy food. Local government is still tracing all those with potential exposure to the patient,” the official said.

The city has seen six Covid-19 patients retesting posititve for the virus so far.

One more COVID-19 case recorded, taking tally to 271

A British national has been confirmed the latest COVID-19 case in Vietnam, taking the country’s total amount of COVID-19 cases to 271, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said on May 3.

Samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing.

The 37-year-old man, who is an expert of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, landed in Ho Chi Minh City-based Tan Son Nhat International Airport on April 28 onboard a private plane from the UK with 12 other passengers. They were taken to a concentrated quarantine area in the city’s Can Gio district upon their arrival.

The man first tested negative for the novel conoravirus SARS-CoV-2 along with the other people on board but a second test taken on May 2 revealed a positive result.

Patient No. 271 is currently being treated at the Cu Chi COVID-19 treatment hospital in HCM City.

Of the 271 confirmed patients, 131 are imported cases who were quarantined upon their arrival.

Up to 219 patients have made full recovery, while 52 others are being treated at medical establishments nationwide.

Twelve patients were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once and nine others tested negative twice or more.

A total of 30,530 people who had close contact with confirmed patients or coming from pandemic-hit regions have been quarantined across the country, including 246 at hospitals, 5,748 at concentrated quarantine areas and 24,192 at home.

Campaign helps generate jobs for nearly 10,500 young people affected by COVID-19

Close to 10,500 people have found a job through a non-profit campaign held in Hanoi for students and young people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The campaign was carried out from April 10 – 30 by the Hanoi chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU), the Hanoi Students’ Association, and the Hanoi Youth Federation, in cooperation with Global Shapers Hanoi, Global Shapers HCM City, Canavi, Accesstrade, and the G.A.P Institute.

It aimed to offer 10,000 jobs for students and young people whose employment is particularly vulnerable during the pandemic. Many have already lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet, as thousands of small- and medium-sized enterprises and household businesses in the city have suspended operation.

The campaign helped connect them with recruiters offering seasonal and work-from-home jobs as well as employment after the pandemic ends.

It has so far attracted 963 recruiters and job agencies such as SieuViet, Vietnamworks and FreelancerViet. As many as 17,291 candidates are waiting for job interviews or opportunities.

More than 1,000 people have taken part in interviewing skill and Microsoft Excel training courses held by Canavi.

Vice Secretary of the HCYU’s Hanoi chapter Tran Quang Hung said the first phase of the campaign has ended with positive outcomes.

In the second phase, which will take place from May 4 – 31, the HCYU’s Hanoi chapter will cooperate with Canavi to organise more workshops at major universities across the city to provide career counseling and job matching services for fresh graduates, he said.

Thailand reports single-digit new COVID-10 cases for seven consecutive days

Thailand recorded a downward trend in new cases with only three new infections confirmed on May 3, the lowest figure since March 10.

New daily infections have remained in the single digits for seven days in a row.

So far, Thailand has reported a total of 2,969 COVID-19 cases, 54 deaths, and 2,739 recoveries.

May 3 also saw lifting of restrictions on several businesses, bringing some aspects of life back to citizens.

On the same day, Laos reported no new cases for the consecutive 21 days. The number of cases remained at 19, of which nine were declared to have recovered.

Meanwhile, the Philippines saw additional 295 cases and four deaths on the day, bringing the total to 9,223 and 607, respectively. In all, 1,214 patients have recovered.

The number of COVID-19 infections in Indonesia is now 11,192 after 349 new cases were reported. With 14 new fatalities on the day, the country’s death toll hit 845.

Indonesia has conducted COVID-19 test for more than 83,000 people.

Malaysia reported 122 new cases and two deaths, bringing the total to 6,298 and 105.

Singapore also recorded 657 new COVID-19 cases on May 3, raising the national tally to 18,205, announced the country’s Ministry of Health.

Most of the infections were work permit holders residing in dormitories.