The pandemic continues to surge globally; Vietnam is taking strong measures to combat the disease.

Four COVID-19 patients have recovered in Ho Chi Minh City.

On the afternoon of March 29, Covid-19 patients 64, 66, 79, and 90 were discharged from the Cu Chi Field Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City after testing negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

To date, Ho Chi Minh City has had 7 patients cured and discharged from the hospital. It is expected that 3 more patients will be discharged today.

Airlines operate only one flight per day.

Based on a proposal from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, on the afternoon of March 29th, the Ministry of Transport sent an urgent dispatch to the Civil Aviation Authority, requesting that from March 30th to April 15th, Vietnamese airlines are only allowed to operate passenger transport at the following frequencies:

• Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route: each Vietnamese airline is allowed to operate 1 flight/day.
• For the Hanoi - Da Nang and Hanoi - Phu Quoc routes, and vice versa: each Vietnamese airline is allowed to operate 1 flight per day per route.
• For the routes between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc, and vice versa: each Vietnamese airline is allowed to operate 1 flight per day per route.

The Ministry of Transport has suspended all remaining domestic flights to and from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. However, the Ministry has not imposed any restrictions on flights that do not carry passengers.

Asia sees more infections

The Philippine Department of Health announced on March 29 that the number of new Covid-19 cases had increased by 343, the highest daily increase to date, bringing the total to 1,418. Meanwhile, the number of deaths also increased by 3, raising the total to 71.

Malaysia reported 150 new cases and remains the country with the most infections in Southeast Asia with 2,470 cases. The number of deaths in the country also rose to 34.

Iran's Ministry of Health announced on March 29 that the number of infections and deaths continues to rise in the country. "In the past 24 hours, we have had 123 deaths and 2,901 new infections, bringing the total number of cases to 38,309," the agency stated.

China confirmed four more deaths and 31 new cases of coronavirus on March 29, with only one case being domestically transmitted.

South Korea mandates quarantine for all incoming travelers.

On March 29, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announced that all foreigners entering the country will be required to quarantine for at least 14 days. The new regulation will take effect from April 1.

Accordingly, if those entering South Korea do not have a fixed residence, they will have to quarantine in government-designated facilities and bear the associated costs themselves.

Laos will move toward a nationwide lockdown.

Specifically, civil servants must work from home from April 1-11, with the exception of military and police officers, firefighters, water and electricity workers, media personnel, doctors and nurses, volunteers, and other individuals responsible for participating in combating the spread of the disease.

Everyone, including Lao citizens and foreigners, is prohibited from leaving their residences except for reasons such as purchasing essential goods, going to the hospital, or performing duties required by the Government.

The US orders travel restrictions in New York.

During a press briefing on the COVID-19 respiratory disease on March 29 (US time), President Trump announced that he would extend the guidance aimed at slowing the spread of the virus until April 30, instead of the original target of after Easter (April 12). He also stated that the peak of the epidemic in the US could be within the next two weeks.

On March 29th, the US conducted 894,000 coronavirus tests. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the US recorded 518 new deaths in the past 24 hours. The total number of deaths in the US is 2,409.

On the same day, the CDC issued a request for residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to restrict non-essential local travel for 14 days, effective immediately. Exemptions included employees in financial services, food services, and certain other industries.

The US sends aircraft to China, Vietnam receives medical supplies.

The US government is trying to make up for shortages of medical supplies in states severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Authorities decided to use aircraft instead of ships to receive supplies in order to shorten delivery times. On March 29, the first flight carrying medical supplies from China landed at John F. Kennedy Airport, bringing 130,000 N95 masks, nearly 1.8 million surgical masks and protective gear, more than 10.3 million gloves, and over 70,000 thermometers.

There will be approximately 20 similar flights between the US and Vietnam, China, and Malaysia by early April.

The majority of the aforementioned medical supplies will be distributed to the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with the remainder going to nursing homes and high-risk locations nationwide.

The total number of infections in Italy is about to reach 100,000.

On March 29, Italy reported 756 new deaths due to the coronavirus. The total number of deaths in the country is now 10,779. The total number of new infections in the past 24 hours increased by 5,217, reaching 97,689, remaining the country with the second highest number of cases in the world.

In an effort to prevent further spread of the disease, the Italian Education Minister announced that the decision to close schools, which began on March 5th, will be extended until April 3rd.

With the fourth highest number of infections in the world, Spain urges the EU to take action.

The Spanish Ministry of Health announced on March 29 that the total number of deaths in the country due to Covid-19 has now reached 6,803, and the total number of people infected with the virus has also increased to 80,110.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced stricter travel restrictions, requiring workers in non-essential services to stay home for two weeks. These workers will continue to receive their normal salaries, albeit later. The measure is expected to be in effect from March 30th to April 9th.

In addition, Prime Minister Sanchez urged the EU to act and called on the bloc to develop a "unified social and economic strategy." He also called on the EU to issue recovery bonds, arguing that member economies must share the burden of public debt to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The number of cases in the Netherlands has surpassed 10,000.

The Netherlands National Institute for Health (RIVM) announced on March 29 that it had recorded 1,104 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 10,866. The number of deaths from Covid-19 also rose to 771.

RIVM acknowledges that the actual number of infections in the Netherlands could be many times higher than these figures, as authorities only test those with severe symptoms requiring hospitalization.

France evacuates severely ill patients from the epicenter of the outbreak.

On March 29, the French government transferred an additional 36 patients from hospitals in the epicenter of the outbreak in the east of the country to hospitals in the west. The military was deployed to protect special high-speed trains running between east and west.

According to AFP, it took a great deal of time and effort to complete the evacuation before dawn. Each train carriage could only accommodate a maximum of four patients.

Earlier, the German government also announced it would "share the burden" with France by deploying military aircraft to evacuate Covid-19 patients from the Alsace region of France to hospitals in Germany.

Record increase in new cases in one day, Russia locks down capital.

Moscow, Russia's capital, announced a lockdown starting March 30, forcing its 12 million residents to stay home to slow the spread of the virus. Exceptions include medical appointments, essential work, grocery shopping, and walking pets, but only for distances exceeding 100 meters from one's home. The restrictions also limit the number of private vehicles entering the city, although people can still travel in and out of the capital.

Russia reported a record increase of over 270 new Covid-19 cases on March 29, bringing the total to 1,534, according to the Moscow Times. Eight people have died from the novel coronavirus in Russia so far.

Greenland bans the sale of alcoholic beverages during the lockdown.

A Greenland government official said the ban on alcoholic beverages was justified. Many people become complacent about the coronavirus and the government's infection control measures after drinking. Therefore, banning the sale of alcohol is believed to help limit the spread of infection on the world's largest island. The ban came into effect on March 28 and will last until April 15.

Greenland closed schools earlier last week after 10 cases of the novel coronavirus were detected. Tragically, after students were sent home to avoid the virus, violence against them increased significantly.

Australia is spending more money to help citizens fight the pandemic.

In an announcement on March 29, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new support package would include $412 million to expand the telehealth system, enabling people to receive medical care over the phone.

In addition, $92 million will be allocated to support issues such as domestic and sexual violence, and $168 million will be spent on mental health support and emergency assistance.

On the same day, the Australian Prime Minister also announced restrictions on gatherings of more than two people in public places and that the government would tighten restrictions on people leaving their homes. Mr. Morrison also advised people over 70 to self-isolate at home.

Lan Oanh