Vietnamplus

The Vietnamese Government will halt visa-free travel policy for citizens of eight European countries as from 0:00 on March 12, amid growing concern about the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Amid the coronavirus epidemic, many textile businesses in Vietnam have shifted to producing antibacterial masks to serve market demand.

The General Statistics Office (GSO) forecast if the coronavirus epidemic is stamped out in the first quarter this year, Vietnam’s industrial production value in the first quarter would increase by 2.68 percent year-on-year, lower than growth rate of 9 percent in the first quarter of 2019 and 10.45 percent in the first quarter of 2018.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) will continue to support local businesses after the coronavirus epidemic is stamped out, Minister Tran Tuan Anh has said.

Sellers hiking the prices of face masks and hand sanitiser on some e-commerce websites have been fined.

Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth is expected to reach 6.25 percent in 2020 if the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is contained within the first quarter of this year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

HCM City authorities have assured there would be no short supply of foodstuff and other essential goods because of the novel coronavirus epidemic.

Vietnam’s total aquatic product export value in January fell by 12.5 percent year-on-year to 644 million USD due to the impacts of the novel coronavirus epidemic, according to the Vietnam Association and Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said that the domestic pork supply is forecast to increase from February.

The 10th ASEAN Para Games in the Philippines has been postponed for the second time due to the novel coronavirus epidemic.

The northern province of Vinh Phuc is currently the locality with the highest infections of the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Vietnam, with seven out of the total 12 cases.

Hundreds of young people in Ho Chi Minh City are calling on their friends via social media and others to visit the Blood Transfusion Haematology Hospital and Humanitarian Blood Donation Centre to donate blood to address a shortage amid the ongoing public health emergency caused by the coronavirus.

The State Bank of Vietnam has asked credit institutions to prepare capital sources to meet borrowing demand and provide support to customers who have been affected by the coronavirus epidemic.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on February 1 signed Decision No.173.QD-TTg, declaring the acute respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus (nCoV) an epidemic in Vietnam.

The Tourism Department of Hanoi has asked international travel companies to stop receiving tourists from areas with confirmed outbreaks of the novel coronavirus, and suspend outbound trips to epidemic-hit regions as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.