Covid-19 pandemic escalates in South America, Vietnam reports 0 new cases.

Vietnam has gone 28 days without any community transmission cases.

At 6:00 AM on May 14th, the Ministry of Health recorded no new Covid-19 positive cases, marking the 28th consecutive day without community transmission. To date, out of a total of 288 patients, 252 have recovered. 36 patients are currently undergoing treatment, most in stable condition, including 6 who have tested negative once and 11 who have tested negative two or more times.

Nearly 14,000 people who had close contact with infected individuals or entered from affected areas are being quarantined and monitored for their health. Of these, 326 are quarantined in hospitals, over 7,000 in other centralized facilities, and the remainder at home or their place of residence.

The lockdown of the last remaining Covid-19 outbreak in Hanoi has been officially lifted.

By the end of May 13th, the medical quarantine area in Dong Cuu village, Dung Tien commune (Thuong Tin district, Hanoi) had met all the requirements to be lifted according to the regulations of the Ministry of Health. This is where patient number 266, linked to Bach Mai Hospital, was detected. At exactly 0:00 on May 14th, after the leaders of the Thuong Tin District People's Committee announced the decision to end the medical quarantine for Dong Cuu village, all barricades were removed. From today (May 14th), the daily life and production activities of the people in Dong Cuu village will return to normal.

Following the directives of the Thuong Tin District People's Committee, immediately after the quarantine ended, along with restoring and focusing on boosting production, Dung Tien commune continued to maintain COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, without negligence or complacency; regularly cleaning the environment to ensure the highest effectiveness in disease prevention and control.

As the pandemic subsides, Europe begins to ease border restrictions.

The UK Department of Health says a total of 33,186 people have died from Covid-19 in the UK, an increase of 494 in the last 24 hours. The UK is beginning to ease lockdown restrictions in some areas, with some people unable to work from home returning to work.

In France, as of 6:00 AM on May 14th (Vietnam time), the number of deaths due to Covid-19 was 27,074 (an increase of 83 in 24 hours). The Curie Institute in France has just launched an investigation into the presence or absence of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, involving approximately 2,500 volunteers.

In Spain, preliminary results from a nationwide coronavirus antibody study suggest that around 5% of the total Spanish population has been infected with the virus – roughly more than 10 times the total number of diagnosed cases.

In Italy, figures from the Civil Protection Agency show that on May 13, the Southern European country recorded 888 new infections, bringing the total number of cases to 222,104. Meanwhile, the number of deaths has risen to 31,106 (an increase of 195). The Italian government has approved a long-delayed €55 billion (equivalent to $59.6 billion) stimulus package aimed at helping businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and families struggling during the coronavirus crisis.

On May 13, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced that Germany would begin easing some border controls imposed to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic on May 16. However, he warned that controls could be reimposed if a new wave of the pandemic breaks out.

Russia tests antiviral drug favipiravir.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announced on May 13 that favipiravir, a drug believed to be a potential treatment for COVID-19, has shown promising results in initial clinical trials in the country. The clinical trial, involving 330 COVID-19 patients, is scheduled to conclude by the end of May.

Russia is also testing a prototype vaccine on animals, while RDIF is increasing investment to produce test kits domestically. RDIF is also providing $2 million in funding for the favipiravir clinical trial project in Russia.

Currently, Russia has the second highest number of infections in the world, after the United States. According to the Russian COVID-19 Task Force, as of May 13th, the country recorded an additional 10,028 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection across 83 states, bringing the total number of cases to 242,271. Moscow remains the region with the highest daily number of SARS-CoV-2 infections, although the figure has decreased slightly to 4,703 cases.

New cases and deaths in the US are rising sharply.

In the past 24 hours, the US recorded 19,103 new SARS-CoV-2 infections and 1,616 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths to date to 1,427,739 and 85,041 respectively.

Many US states are currently preparing to reopen economic and social activities. However, the Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Barbara Ferrer, said that social distancing regulations in the county, including Los Angeles, may be extended for another three months. Ferrer warned that lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to an increase in deaths and necessitate stricter lockdowns.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser also announced that the stay-at-home order, which was set to expire on May 15, would be extended until June 8, as the number of coronavirus cases in the capital did not decrease. Bowser said the number of infections and deaths from coronavirus in the capital had been anticipated, "however, the district has not yet met the criteria to reopen."

Previously, on May 12, the Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives announced a bill worth over $3 trillion to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 respiratory disease outbreak, aiming to fund states, businesses, food assistance, families, and epidemiologists currently monitoring the extent of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic is escalating in South America.

Mexico's Ministry of Health announced that in the past 24 hours, the country recorded its highest single-day increase in infections and deaths, with 1,997 and 353 cases respectively. The death rate in Mexico remains the highest in the Americas, at over 10.2%, due to more than 70% of the population having underlying health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.

The total number of infections in Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador has also risen to over 13,600, including over 416 deaths, an increase of 398 infections and 14 deaths in the past 24 hours.

While Argentina has begun implementing plans to lift some restrictions, Venezuela has extended its lockdown measures until May 24th. Brazil is becoming a major epicenter of the pandemic in the region and the world. In the past 24 hours, Brazil recorded 11,372 new SARS-CoV-2 infections and 745 deaths, bringing the total number of cases and deaths from Covid-19 in Brazil to date to 188,974 and 13,149 respectively.

New Zealand lifted its national state of emergency on May 13th.

This move comes ahead of New Zealand implementing Level 2 restrictions, easing the month-long Level 4 lockdown that began in late March. Under the relaxed restrictions, venues including restaurants, cinemas, playgrounds, and gyms can reopen from May 14, schools resume on May 18, and bars from May 21.

The Covid-19 pandemic situation in the Middle East has not yet subsided.

The Turkish Ministry of Health confirmed on May 13th an additional 1,639 cases of Covid-19 (bringing the total to 143,114) and 58 deaths (bringing the total to 3,952). On the same day, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca stated that Türkiye is ready to begin testing foreign visitors, as the country plans to resume international flights by the end of May.

Egypt announced on May 13th the discovery of 338 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 10,431. In addition, the death toll from this dangerous disease now stands at 556, after 12 more deaths were recorded that day.

In Iraq, the Ministry of Health announced 119 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the past day, marking a record increase since the Covid-19 outbreak began in Iraq and bringing the total number of cases to 3,032. Iraqi officials attribute the surge in SARS-CoV-2 infections to a lack of strict adherence to disease control measures by the population, and warned of a potential "health catastrophe" in Baghdad and Basra province.

On the same day, Saudi Arabia announced that the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the country had increased by 1,905, bringing the total to 44,830 cases. The number of deaths due to Covid-19 in the past 24 hours also increased by 9, reaching 273. Earlier, the Saudi Ministry of Defense deployed aircraft to assist the Ministry of Health in transporting critically ill patients to specialized hospitals for treatment.

On May 13, Qatar also confirmed 1,390 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 26,539. Most of the new cases in Qatar are foreign workers who had contact with previously confirmed cases. The death toll from COVID-19 in Qatar currently stands at 14.

China faces the risk of a second wave of Covid-19 outbreaks.

On May 13, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China) announced its first two community infections after three weeks without any new cases. Notably, both cases were not linked to individuals returning from overseas. Authorities are currently working to trace the source of infection for these new cases. The discovery of these new infections raises concerns about the risk of a resurgence of community transmission, especially since Hong Kong reopened bars, gyms, and cinemas last week.

Meanwhile, on May 13, authorities in Jilin city in northeastern China imposed new restrictions on people's movement to prevent a resurgence of the epidemic, after the city recorded six new cases on May 12. As the second-largest city in Jilin province, and bordering North Korea and Russia, Jilin is considered a potential hotspot for a new wave of the disease, with neighboring Shulan city in the same province having already raised its risk alert level from "medium" to "high" last weekend.

A statement released the same day by the Jilin Municipal Health Commission indicated that five of the six new cases were likely directly linked to a confirmed case in Shulan. Speaking at a press conference on May 13, the Vice Mayor of Jilin stated, "The current epidemic situation is quite complex and serious, and there is a very high risk that the virus will spread further."

The Japanese are using "chilled face masks" to protect themselves against the pandemic during the summer.

Reusable cloth face masks are chilled to 4°F.^oSunlight and ice cream sold in vending machines are becoming increasingly popular in Yamagata Prefecture, northeastern Japan, amid summer temperatures that can reach over 30 degrees Celsius.^oC. According to health experts, wearing a mask in hot weather can make it difficult for cool air to reach the lungs, activating the respiratory muscles and leading to shortness of breath, while also causing the body to overheat.

Knit Waizu, a knitting company based in Yamanobe town, Yamagata prefecture, has been producing cooling face masks with the hope of "creating something that brings smiles to people during gloomy times." The company began producing these masks in mid-March after a shortage of masks occurred due to the spread of the disease across Japan.

Seoul could become the new epicenter of the outbreak in South Korea.

In the 24 hours leading up to the morning of May 14th, South Korea continued to record 26 new infections as authorities struggled to contain a newly discovered outbreak linked to bars and clubs in Seoul. This also marked the second consecutive day that the number of new infections exceeded the number of recoveries, remaining in double digits, raising concerns about a potential second wave of infections in the country.

Facing the risk that Seoul could become a second epicenter of the pandemic, after Daegu, the South Korean government has released revised guidelines on how to deal with the pandemic, including a mandatory mask-wearing rule on public transportation.

Following Seoul, Gyeonggi Province also issued an administrative order on May 12th to close all bars, discos, clubs, and other entertainment venues that attract large crowds for two weeks.

Southeast Asia has recorded a total of over 62,790 cases of Covid-19.

As of the morning of May 14th, Southeast Asia has recorded a total of 62,793 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 1,675 cases compared to the previous day, and 1,989 deaths, an increase of 44 cases. In the past 24 hours, Indonesia had the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the region with 689 cases; the Philippines and Indonesia both recorded 21 deaths on the same day.

The Royal Cambodian Government has allowed rice exporting companies to resume operations starting next week after more than a month-long ban aimed at ensuring food security amid the Covid-19 outbreak. This decision was made on May 13th at the request of the Cambodian Rice Federation (CRF) after the country reported no new Covid-19 cases for the past month. As of the morning of May 14th, Cambodia had recorded 122 Covid-19 cases, with 121 recoveries.

Ha Le