A meeting being yesterday by the Ministry of Health in co-ordination with the HCM City People’s Committee to disseminate information about how to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic. Photo thanhnien.vn

HCM CITY — The Ministry of Health is stepping up efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus (Covid-19) even as the number cases surges globally.

Assoc Prof Doãn Ngọc Hải, head of the National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, warned people to remain aware of how to ward off infection and co-ordinate with local authorities to fight the epidemic.

All schools are obliged to comply with the Ministry of Health’s instructions on preventive measures against COVID-19 infection and disinfection to ensure the safety of students, he told a press meeting in HCM City yesterday.

Schools are required to get information about all students who travelled to coronavirus-hit areas or came in contact with people having cough or fever.

Teachers need to keep a close eye on students and report promptly to local health officials if any student has symptoms like cough or fever.

The Government was considering when to reopen schools amid the epidemic’s global spread, health officials said.

The Ministry of Health said on Monday that all travellers entering Việt Nam from South Korea need to fill health declaration forms.

Travellers from Daegu and North Gyeongsang in that country will be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival in Việt Nam.

There are no new suspected cases of the coronavirus in HCM City.

All three confirmed cases so far have been discharged from hospital after recovery. All 35 suspected cases in the city have tested negative and 44 people with close contact with patients have ended a 14-day quarantine.

A total of 79 people are being quarantined in a field hospital set up in the city’s Củ Chi District and 12 other people are being quarantined at other health facilities. — VNS