Vietnamese citizens returning from Japan arrive Đà Nẵng International Airport on early this month. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — No new coronavirus cases were confirmed on Thursday, marking 70 straight days without community transmission in Việt Nam, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The national tally remains at 352, including 212 imported cases that were quarantined upon arrival.

A total of 9,437 people who had close contact with patients or were in pandemic-hit areas are now under medical monitoring or quarantine.

Up to 329 patients, or 93.5 per cent of the total, have recovered so far.

The remaining patients are in a stable condition, with one testing negative for the coronavirus once and three negative at least twice.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has been brought under control, the Government tasked authorities to increase the frequency of flights to bring home citizens stranded abroad.

A total of 29 repatriation flights have been arranged since April 24, bringing home 7,672 Vietnamese citizens from other countries or territories.

The Government has also decided to open borders to foreign experts, skilled labourers and investors as part of measures to reboot the economy.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said Việt Nam would not open its borders for international tourists anytime soon to avoid a resurgence of the disease.

He stressed the importance of staying on “high alert” to the pandemic.

With stringent border closures enacted since late March, Việt Nam has virtually eradicated the coronavirus outbreak within its borders. VNS