Vietnam will suspend visa-free travel for South Korean travelers starting from Saturday amid concerns about the coronavirus spreading, the country's National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced at a meeting held here Friday.
Amid the complicated developments of the outbreak worldwide, Vietnam will tighten entry control measures, especially for citizens of countries where the outbreak is widespread and Vietnamese citizens returning home from epidemic-hit countries.
Accordingly, all Iranian and Italian nationals, as well as those arriving Vietnam from South Korea and those visiting South Korea within the past 14 days, will be subject to a 14-day quarantine upon their arrival.
It was suggested at the meeting that those suspected to contract the virus should be transferred right from passenger boarding stairs to quarantine facilities.
Meanwhile, localities across the country are requested to continue to closely monitor the suspected cases who are put in medical quarantine and the Ministry of Public Security needs to promptly announce localities about Vietnamese citizens returning to their home country, cooperating with families to implement screening, monitoring and quarantine measures, according to the Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister at the meeting.
Vietnam has not recorded any new infection of coronavirus after Feb. 13 and all confirmed cases in the country have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.
As of Friday, 79 people are suspected to contract coronavirus and in quarantine in the country, while other 4,939 who had close contacts with suspected cases or arrived Vietnam from the epidemic hit areas are being monitored, according to the country's health ministry. Enditem
