Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of early detection, prompt quarantine, and strengthened protection of people’s health saying they are the primary tasks: "We have two weeks to take action. The virus is likely to spread faster than our action. We need to take resolute, prompt preventive measures. During the next two weeks, all meetings and events of more than 20 people must be cancelled. The government will strictly deal with violations. All unessential services like discotheques, tourist sites, cinemas, and restaurants must be closed."

The Prime Minister asked Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Can Tho and Da Nang to close all services except for food and pharmaceuticals shops and clinics and cut down public buses. He reminded of the risk of exposure at hospital: "We need to test all medical staff working in the exposed areas. Hospitals and clinics should only provide treatment for emergency cases. All beauty salons and therapy clinics need to close. The health sector needs to strictly isolate Covid-19 infected doctors and medical workers and ensure good treatment for medical workers who are in the frontline in the fight against the disease.'

The Prime Minister requested strict management of borders and called on the entire public to join efforts to fight the deadly virus.

As of Thursday morning, Vietnam has had 148 Covid-19 infection cases, 17 of them have fully recovered.