COVID-19 testing (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health has proposed considering COVID-19 a Group A infectious disease , not an endemic disease in its latest draft on COVID-19 prevention and control measures in the new situation. Per the draft, Vietnam is still in the transition period between pandemic prevention and sustainable management. Regarding the reason why COVID-19 has not been considered an endemic disease in Vietnam yet, the Ministry of Health said that most countries in the world are in a state of unstable cases and deaths, with an erratic increase and decrease trend when new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus appear. At the same time, acquired immunity (due to vaccines and infection) has not been stable for a long time and decreases over time. As a result, the application of epidemic prevention and control measures should be flexible and gradually moves towards the "new normal". The announcement of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in … [Read more...] about Health Ministry yet to consider COVID-19 endemic disease
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Hanoi health workers quit in droves over heavy workload, low pay
A report by Hanoi People's Committee on June 20 revealed 532 medical personnel had quit last year, while 82 decided to switch workplaces. In the first four months of this year, 226 have quit and 17 switched workplaces, the report added. Hanoi said the medical field has focused all its resources on fighting the pandemic since 2020. Due to the low number of workers, the sheer amount of workload and lower incomes and benefits in public facilities, many are opting to quit or seek better opportunities. Hoa, the former head of a ward medical station in Dong Da District, said her workload was too much while her salary wasn't enough to make a living. She quit at the end of March. During the height of the pandemic, Hoa and her colleagues did contact tracing and vaccination day in and day out. Pressure was building up, yet they only got a "bonus" of VND500,000 ($21.50). Her colleagues, a married couple, only got VND8 million a month in total. Amid a worker exodus in the medical field and … [Read more...] about Hanoi health workers quit in droves over heavy workload, low pay
7 killed as Hungarian boat carrying South Korean tourists capsizes on Danube
Hundreds of rescue workers try to help at the bank of Danube River at Budapest downtown. (GERGELY BESENYEI/AFP) The boat reportedly collided with another tourist vessel near the Hungarian parliament building, before turning over on the river, which has been flooding, with very strong currents, while a rainstorm enveloped Budapest. In Seoul, the foreign ministry said the South Koreans aboard the vessel when it sank were 30 tourists and three tour guides, in addition to the crew of two Hungarians. Seven of the South Koreans were rescued, seven died and 19 were missing, it added. "President Moon Jae-in issued an urgent order to work with the Hungarian government for rescue efforts," his spokeswoman, Ko Min-jung, told reporters. An emergency rescue team is among the 18 officials South Korea is sending to Budapest, the foreign ministry added, and it will provide counseling to victims' families. A Hungarian ambulance spokesman told state television that 14 people were pulled … [Read more...] about 7 killed as Hungarian boat carrying South Korean tourists capsizes on Danube
Orangutan nearly drowns after zoo visitor throws food into pool
Video footage shared on social media showed the orangutan struggling in the water before sinking below the surface at the Safari Phu Quoc in the southern island on June 24. A zoo employee threw in a life buoy before jumping into the pool himself to save the orangutan. He managed to bring it ashore and performed chest presses as first-aid. The orangutan has survived and is in stable health now, a zoo representative said. The zoo has erected signs to warn visitors not to feed animals, except certain species. However, many ignore the warnings, the representative said. The Safari Phu Quoc is a semi-wild zoo spanning 380 ha. It is home to around 3,000 animals, including 175 species of birds, mammals and reptiles. … [Read more...] about Orangutan nearly drowns after zoo visitor throws food into pool
NA Chairman receives leaders of several Hungarian companies
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (R) receives Tamas Uri, Head of CEE Region at Egis Pharmaceuticals PLC (Photo: VNA) Budapest – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue received leaders of several Hungarian enterprises which are operating in Vietnam on June 28 in Budapest as part of his official visit to the European country. At the meetings with a leader of Gedeon Richter Company – Hungary’s multinational company operating in the field of pharmaceutical manufacturing and biotechnology research and development (R&D), and representatives of Egis Company - a leading pharmaceutical company in the Central Eastern Europe, Hue appreciated the results of their activities in Vietnam, adding that pharmaceuticals is the country’s potential field of cooperation with many preferential policies. Leaders of Gedeon Richter and Egis showed their hope that Vietnam will speed up and simplify administrative procedures for drug registration so that many new products can be … [Read more...] about NA Chairman receives leaders of several Hungarian companies
HCM City students join 2022 Green Summer Campaign
More than 360,000 young people and students from colleges and universities are working as volunteers in the 2022 Mùa Hè Xanh (Green Summer) Campaign, a community and charity programme launched by the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union this week. — VNA/VNS photo by Hồng Giang HCM CITY — Nearly 800 university students and members of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union opened the 2022 Mùa Hè Xanh (Green Summer) Campaign on Tuesday in HCM City. The annual event is the year’s biggest social and charity programme launched by the union. The volunteers are working in remote areas of Tam Nông District in Đồng Tháp Province, and Phú Quý island in Bình Thuận Province. Some villages in Laos are also included. They have worked to clean and upgrade canals, alleys, roads and irrigation systems. Free health check-ups and medicine for poor residents, children and women are also provided. They have also participated in cultural and community activities to promote environmental protection, … [Read more...] about HCM City students join 2022 Green Summer Campaign
NA Chairman meets Hungarian entrepreneurs during official visit
Tibor Novak, director of Gedeon Richter, talks to Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. — VNA/VNS Photo Doan Tan As part of his official visit to Hungary, National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue met with entrepreneurs with business operations in Viet Nam on Tuesday. During talks with the heads of multinational companies Gedeon Richter and Egis, the NA Chairman said that pharmaceuticals had great potential for cooperation in Viet Nam with multiple preferential policies. Specialising in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, Gedeon Richter’s products entered the Vietnamese market in 1954 and officially established a representative office in 1995. Egis set up an office in Viet Nam in 2000 and is planning to expand its local operation by upscaling this establishment to be the representative office for ASEAN. NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (centre) meets with the leaders of Egis Pharmaceuticals. — VNA/VNS Photo Doan Tan Taking into consideration the … [Read more...] about NA Chairman meets Hungarian entrepreneurs during official visit
China halves quarantine time for overseas travellers
China on Tuesday reduced the length of mandatory quarantine for inbound travellers, in the biggest relaxation of entry restrictions after sticking to a rigid zero Covid policy throughout the pandemic. The new guideline cuts the length of mandatory quarantine for overseas travellers to seven days plus three more of home monitoring -- a drastic drop from about 21 days of quarantine and home monitoring combined. China closed off its international borders in March 2020 and the number of international flights is still tightly restricted in an effort to tamp down "imported" virus cases as the pandemic rages elsewhere. Overseas arrivals have faced weeks of strict monitoring and costly quarantine in hotels and designated centres, as well as soaring ticket prices for the slashed number of flights. Under the latest Covid prevention and control policy guidelines announced by the National Heath Commission and the State Council, inbound travellers entering China will now be required to … [Read more...] about China halves quarantine time for overseas travellers
Vietnam records 769 fresh Covid-19 infections on Tuesday
An additional 769 new Covid-19 infections were confirmed on Tuesday, raising the national tally to over 10.74 million, according to the Ministry of Health. Illustrative photo According to the ministry's report, most of the new patients are locally-transmitted cases confirmed in the country with some localities seeing the highest numbers including Hanoi (158), Phu Tho (62), Nghe An (54), Bac Ninh (40), and Son La (40). As of Tuesday evening, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to over 10.74 million. On June 28, an additional 6,653 more patients recovered from the disease, raising the number of recoveries in the country to over 9.66 million. On Tuesday evening, three Covid-related deaths were announced in Ben Tre (2) and Quang Ninh (1), bringing the total death toll to 43,087. By June 27, the country had injected more than 229 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, including over 6.80 million given to children aged 5 to 11. … [Read more...] about Vietnam records 769 fresh Covid-19 infections on Tuesday
Vietnam, UK legislatures will find common ground for closer cooperation: VUKN Chairman
Mr. Warwick Morris, Chairman of the Vietnam-UK Network (VUKN). (Photo: VNA) London (VNA) – Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and his entourage will make good use of the visit to the United Kingdom (UK) to develop further links between the two countries' parliamentarians, according to Mr. Warwick Morris , Chairman of Vietnam-UK Network (VUKN). Even though there are differences between the two systems, the two sides will find plenty of common ground, which hopefully will lead to closer cooperation and dialogue in bilateral parliamentary relations, Mr. Morris, who is also former British Ambassador to Vietnam, told Vietnam News Agency ahead of Hue’s official visit to the UK from June 28 – 30. Mr. Morris spoke highly of the Vietnam – UK relations, saying the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year is a fine milestone. The bilateral relationship has broadened and deepened enormously during the two decades since 2003 when Vietnam and the UK … [Read more...] about Vietnam, UK legislatures will find common ground for closer cooperation: VUKN Chairman