Vietnamese citizens lined up for check in at Sydney International Airport before flying to Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Minh

HÀ NỘI — More than 350 Vietnamese citizens from Australia and New Zealand were brought home safe and sound on Friday.

Vietnamese agencies in and outside the country have coordinated with the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, and agencies of Australia and New Zealand to arrange the flight to bring the citizens home.

Passengers were mostly children, the elderly, pregnant women, those with illnesses, and workers and students made homeless after their working contracts ended or campus closed.

Preventive measures were taken seriously during the flight. After landing at the Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Hồ Chí Minh City, crew members and passengers had their body temperature checked and went under quarantine as regulated.

Under the Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc’s instruction, Vietnamese authorities and representative offices abroad will continue conducting more flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home in the coming time, based on the pandemic developments at home and abroad, the citizens’ aspirations, and quarantine capacity in localities.

Meanwhile, no new cases of COVID-19 were reported as of 6am on Saturday, marking the 79th straight day without local community transmission of the coronavirus, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Among the total 355 confirmed cases so far, 215 are imported and quarantined upon arrival.

Up to 340 or 95.8 per cent of all infections have recovered, and no death has been reported.

Most of the 15 remaining patients are in stable condition, with three negative for the coronavirus at least twice.

Meanwhile, 10,621 people are currently in quarantine, including 103 in hospitals, 10,121 in other quarantine facilities, and 397 at home. — VNS