Deceased Japanese expert infected with new virus variant: Health Minister A Japanese expert who died in Hanoi on February 13 has been infected with a new variant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, said Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long. Long announced the results of the expert’s genome sequencing at a meeting of permanent Cabinet members in Hanoi on February 24. He did not reveal specifically but said this was the first time the new strain has been detected in Vietnam. The strain, he said, has circulated mainly in the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan (China), and India. According to the minister, Japan, the deceased expert’s home country, has yet to record this strain. To scientists, the strain it not highly transmissible, but the extent of its aggravation is not clear, said Long. Epidemiologists stated that the new strain is not linked to the fresh coronavirus hotspot in Hai Duong province where a variant strain originating from the United States was recorded. The Japanese expert entered Vietnam on January 17 through Tan Son Nhat International Airport. He was placed in quarantine in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Binh District from January 17-31 upon his arrival. He left the quarantine facility and flew to Hanoi on February 1 after testing negative twice, on January 17 and 31. The man stayed at Somerset West Point Hanoi hotel in Quang An ward, Tay Ho district, and travelled back and forth between the hotel and his company Mitsui Vietnam. He was found dead in his hotel room on February 13. Subsequent tests showed he had carried the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Sailors infected with COVID-19 aboard Indonesian vessel off southern coast Five sailors aboard Ocean Amazing, an Indonesian-flagged cargo vessel off the southern coast of Ba Ria – Vung Tau province, have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to a report released by the provincial Centre for Disease Control (CDC). Healthcare workers have already collected nasal swabs from the sailors …
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Song Cau opens its gates to holiday-goers
Song Cau opens its gates to holiday-goers It is not fortuitous that in the past an investor was once reported to cherish the aspiration of turning Song Cau town into a distinct space dedicated only to the elite. Though the idea has yet to become true, it attests to the uniqueness of this town, a serene and picturesque urban area located in the north of Phu Yen province. Bordering Quy Nhon – the provincial capital of Binh Dinh – Song Cau possesses an unparalleled position. The town leans on a mountain range, overlooking the stunning Xuan Dai Bay and in proximity to the romantic Cau River. The Nhat Tu Son mountain range is positioned as a firm shield, offering a sense of tranquility and romance. When talking about Phu Yen, the land of yellow flowers and green grass, it is impossible not to mention Song Cau, with the nearby Xuan Dai Bay being a must-see destination. Xuan Dai Bay lies 20km south of Song Cau, with National Highway 1A spreading along the western bank of the bay, offering an impressive view across the beaches and ocean over the entire 50km length of the bay. Within the bay is a variety of islets. Yen Islet presents the gateway to Xuan Dai Bay, while Ong Xa Islet stands like a firm fortress in front of Vung Lam. Meanwhile, Dam Ca Islet, covering about three hectares right in the centre of Xuan Dai Bay, is blessed with a plethora of beautiful coral reefs and sea grass, as well as seafood specialties from the surrounding seabed. Close to the southern gateway to Xuan Dai Bay lies Da Dia Reef – a famous national attraction with its one-of-a-kind rock formations, and O Loan Lagoon which is well-known for its seafood dishes like blood oysters, Huynh De crab, and many more. North of Xuan Dai Bay lies Tu Nham-Vinh Hoa Beach with its long, smooth sand banks stretching across more than 10km. The government has approved a master plan to develop Xuan Dai Bay into a national tourism site by 2030. By 2025, the bay is set to grow into a major ocean …
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How can Mekong Delta fly high if no one gives it wings?
Nguyen Trong Binh An endless stream of people driving motorbikes and cars from various provinces in the Mekong Delta like Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, and An Giang flooded the roads near my sister’s house in Vinh Long Province: They had come to see the inauguration of the My Thuan Bridge. I was one of them. Excited at the prospect of seeing the country’s first cable-stayed bridge, one that spans the Tien River, a major branch of the Mekong, to link Vinh Long and Tien Giang, I had gone to my sister’s house, eight kilometers from the bridge, the previous day, and got up early the next day for the inauguration. Smartphones had yet to make an appearance, and I did not have anything to record the scenes. But for the first time in my life I saw that many people gathered at one place. Almost all roads leading to the bridge and the bridge were gridlocked. There were people everywhere. On the sides of the roads leading to the bridge, locals were selling iced tea and instant noodles to the visitors from noon to late night. Due to the gridlock, many got stuck for a long time under the scorching sun of southern Vietnam’s dry season, but everybody looked happy, talking and smiling and patiently waiting for their turn to cross the bridge. The atmosphere made me feel like the bridge had become wings for the entire Mekong Delta to fly high. Almost a week after My Thuan Bridge opened to traffic, the media and the public still talked about the event with unprecedented excitement. When I returned the next day to Can Tho University, my teacher read out to us a poem he had written hailing the bridge. He could not hide his pride, and believed that from that moment the delta would thrive. The reality has been bitterly different. Twenty years on the delta, where the Mekong River splits into nine major distributaries before reaching the sea, has had several more cable-stayed bridges. Most recently the Vam Cong Bridge between Dong Thap Province and Can …
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