Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam chairs the emergency meeting  on combating new coronavirus, at  the Ministry of Health on January 24, 2020.

Working with the Steering Committee for combating dangerous and emerging diseases at the Ministry of Health, Deputy PM Dam urged for prompt, effective measures as Vietnam reported 2 cases tested positive to novel coronavirus. They are Chinese citizens who have been quarantined at Ho Chi Minh City’s Cho Ray Hospital. Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said: “The Ministry has directed heath facilities nationwide to isolate areas suspected of having infectious cases with strict regulations to prevent the spread of the disease.”

The Ministry of Health has warned people to keep their distance from people with acute respiratory infections and wear a mask when talking to them. Equipment to monitor arriving passengers’ body temperature have been installed at airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Cam Ranh in central Vietnam.

By 4pm Friday, there are 26 deaths in 868 cases in 29 out of 34 provinces and cities of China infected with coronavirus. 180 are in critical condition. 12 cases are recorded outside Chinese border, including Vietnam.

Also on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Dam visited and presented gifts to patients of dialysis and intensive care departments at Hospital 103 and Bach Mai hospital in Hanoi. He praised philanthropists for helping patients and urged the hospitals to take better care of patients during the Lunar New Year.