A quarantine area at Hai Hau general hospital in northern Nam Dinh province (Photo: VNA)
The 25-year-old man had close contact with the 24th COVID-19 patient, who was tested positive for the virus in northern Quang Ninh province, while guiding a group of foreign tourists on a tour to Ninh Binh province on March 4th.
The tour guide was hospitalized at the National Hospital for Tropical Disease No 2 in Hanoi’s Dong Anh district on March 8th, with slight fever but no coughing or shortness of breath.
During a meeting held on March 11th, the national steering committee on Covid-19 prevention and control agreed to more strictly inspect people who enter Vietnam. Accordingly, both Vietnamese and foreigners who enter Vietnam have to declare their true health situation, anyone submitting untruthful health declarations will be punished.
Representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that foreign citizens entering Vietnam must obey both international and Vietnamese laws. Therefore, if they fail to truthfully declare health information, they will be fined, or bear criminal responsibility in case of causing infection among communities.
To prevent Covid-19 infection via aviation, delegates at the meeting agreed to request airlines to inform passengers of compulsory face mask use on planes and during immigration procedures.
Proposals were also put forth to strictly manage transiting passengers. Accordingly, international airports will allocate an exclusive area for transit passengers. If they are suspected of contracting the disease, they will not be allowed to enter Vietnam. Compulsory health declarations area also required for transit passengers.
The Ministry of Transport encouraged public vehicle drivers, especially taxi drivers, to wear face masks and urged passengers to wear face masks.
The Ministry of Health is responsible for instructing localities to sanitise the environment in areas reporting Covid-19 cases, at public places, tourism sites and schools.
As of the morning of March 12th, 39 cases were reported in Vietnam. Sixteen of them have been cured and discharged from hospitals. All the remaining new patients are being quarantined and treated at the general hospitals.
Bac Lieu province targets to increase shrimp export
Shrimp is a key export product of Bac Lieu. (Photo: congthuong.vn)
Businesses in the southern province of Bac Lieu have maintained and increased fisheries export turnover in traditional markets, including Japan, the EU, the US, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Taiwan (China), while expanding exports to new markets.
According to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, fisheries export in February was estimated at over 5,085 tons, bringing the total amount of fisheries export in the first two months of this year to over 9,998 tons, a year-on-year increase of 1.59%.
As planned, this year, the fisheries sector will increase the production value from VND25.055 trillion in 2019 to 27.372 trillion, and shrimp productivity alone will increase from 155,000 tons in 2019 to 203,000 tons.
Therefore, the locality will carry out the project on building Bac Lieu into a center of shrimp production, increase shrimp production area, deal with environmental pollution for hi-tech shrimp production, and combine ecological shrimp production and afforestation in coastal areas.
To realize the target of USD800 million in export turnover this year, the Europe – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is expected to help businesses grow shrimp export to Europe. Besides solutions to boost export, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade will take advantage of opportunities brought about by CPTPP, EVFTA and IPA to expand export markets and cooperate for socio-economic development.
According to Phan Van Sau, Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, the department will support businesses in promotion of export markets, in order to help them depend less on the Chinese market. It will also create favourable conditions for businesses to expand production, increase processed productivity and produce high value added products. “Good solutions will help businesses invest in technology and diversification of products, upgrade and expand production, thus producing higher quality products, increasing products’ competitiveness on the market,” he said./.
Vietnamese car brand VinFast highlighted on Swiss television program
VinFast presents its first made-in-Vietnam car in its Hai Phong factory on March 7th, 2019. (Photo: Vingroup)
In a 45-minute report, the Swiss television RTS highlighted VinFast auto brand as a rising factor of Vietnam, one of the economies with the most rapid development rate in the world.
In a special program on the Vietnamese economy which aims to study the impressive development of Vietnam, the television mentioned VinFast as a contribution to help the Vietnamese economy rise globally.
The program took the images of two VinFast LUX cars that left great impression in one of the largest automobile exhibitions of the world, Paris Motor Show 2018, calling VinFast “challenger” of the world automobile sector. VinFast cars are expected to be exported to the world, in particular to the US, the program commented.
According to RTS, since its initial steps into the world automobile industry, VinFast “shakes hands” with giant brands such as BMW, Pininfarina, Magna, AVL, Boss and Siemens, helping the Vietnamese automaker develop its products and be confident to become the first Vietnamese automobile brand to export cars to the world market.
“Our vision is to become a global brand,” RTS quoted Ms Nguyen Thi Van Anh, VinFast Vice Director.
RTS also noted that before exporting cars to the world market, made-in-Vietnam cars had received great support from the domestic market. In the 6 months since its debut, VinFast won over 17,000 orders with 3 models.
In its report, RTS broadcasted a VinFast modern 335-hectare factory in Hai Phong, with the synchronous and closed production process, using automation with thousands of robots.
In particular, VinFast has the first and only workshop in Vietnam that can produce engines meeting European standards, confirming that Vietnam really can produce and master the key part of the automobile industry.
“VinFast is invested with a huge capital of up to USD3 billion,” RTS program commented, adding that VinFast also has strong human resources coming from all parts of the world, owns a supportive industry area and a training center, looking towards sustainable production.
RTS stressed that Vingroup, the owner of VinFast, was initiated and operated by Pham Nhat Vuong, the richest Vietnamese billionaire worth USD10 billion. After the group’s success in real estate, retail and tourism, it has invested in technologies and industry, and VinFast is its most important project.
The special program on the Vietnamese economy belongs to the series Toutes Taxes Comprise of the RTS with senior M.C Patrick Fischer. The famous program in French language has been broadcast in Switzerland many times, on France’s largest television channel TV5MONDE, and for the French speaking community all over the world./.