Vietnam is cited by global media as having one of the best-organised epidemic control programs in the world,[4] along with Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore, all of which have had higher infection rates than the former.[5]
Several figures have praised Vietnam's response, comparing it to the success in 2003 when Vietnam became the first country to be cleared of the SARS outbreak.[5] Despite inferior economic and technological capacities, the country's response to the outbreak has received acclaim for its immediacy, effectiveness and transparency, in contrast to the alleged cover-up in China, and the poor preparation in the United States and in European countries.[6][7][5][8]
Background
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[9][10]
On 23 January, Vietnam confirmed the first two cases of COVID-19, a Chinese man (#1) travelling from Wuhan to Hanoi to visit his son who lived in Vietnam, and his son (#2), who was believed to have contracted the disease from his father. They were hospitalised and treated in quarantined area on 22 January at Chợ Rẫy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City.[14] Vietnam Ministry of Health issued two hotline numbers for information on coronavirus disease, and advised citizens to contact nearest healthcare center if suspecting symptoms.[14] On 24 January, Acting Minister of Health Vũ Đức Đam ordered the activation of the Emergency Epidemic Prevention Centre.[15] Vietnamese doctors documented and reported the two cases to medical journal The New England Journal of Medicine, at that time this was the first concrete evidence to the scientific community about human-to-human transmission of the disease outside China.[16][17] On 29 January, the son fully recovered and was discharged.[18] His father was discharged on 12 February.[16]
On 29 January, the Ministry of Health established 40 mobile emergency response teams, on stand-by to assist affected locations, for quarantine, disinfection, and transporting patients or suspecting patients.[19] A week after the first two cases, three positive cases were confirmed by the Ministry of Health, involving Vietnamese nationals who had returned from Wuhan. Case No. 3 (25-yr-old female) was quarantined and cured in Thanh Hóa Province, while the other two cases (#4: 29-yr-old male; #5: 23-yr-old female) are hospitalised in Hanoi.[20][21] Case No. 5 was discharged on 3 February, fully recovered and tested negative with the virus.[22]
February
On 1 February, a 25-year-old woman (#6) was declared coronavirus-positive in Khánh Hòa Province. She has worked as a receptionist and had direct contact with the Chinese father and son (cases #1–2).[23] This case was discharged from the hospital on 4 February.[24] Noticeably, this case was the first domestic transmission in Vietnam, leading to an epidemic declaration signed by the Vietnamese Prime Minister and calls for border tightening, aviation permits revoked, and visa restriction.[25][26][27][28]
On 2 February, a Vietnamese American (#7) got infected with coronavirus, due to two-hour layover in Wuhan airport during his trip from the US.[29]
On 3–4 February, Vietnam announced their eighth and ninth case: a 29-year-old female (#8) and a 30-year-old male (#9). They belonged to the same training team with the previous confirmed cases of three (cases #3-through-5).[30][31]
Later on 4 February, the 10th case was identified. A 42-year-old female met and greeted with the case No. 5 during Lunar New Year holiday.[32] Mother (49-year-old, #11) and younger sister (16-year-old, #12) of the case No. 5 were also transmitted on 6 February.[33]
On 7 February, Vietnam confirmed their 13th case, a 29-year-old worker, who is a member of the same training crew with 5 previously confirmed cases (case #3,4,5,8,9).[34]
Earlier of the same day, Vietnam declared to have successfully cultured and isolated the virus in the lab. This is one of the few countries able to do this, aside from Singapore, Australia, Japan and China.[35]
On 9 February, a 55-year-old woman, a neighbour of case No. 5, tested positive; the 14th case.[36]
On 10 February, three more cases: #4, #5 and #9 were declared to be recovered.[37]
The 15th case was identified on 11 February, a 3-month-old grandchild of case No. 10.[38]
Case #15 also marked the 10th case found in Vinh Phuc and prompted Vinh Phuc province leadership to implement quarantine of the at-risk village named Son Loi with more than 10,600 people, activating mobile food shops and handing out free masks to all villagers, in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.[39] 10,600 villagers were divided into groups of 50-60 households each, each group assigned to a supervision team responsible for daily household visits and health-checks. The quarantine of Son Loi village was scheduled to last 14 days.[40]
On 13 February, father of case No. 5 was tested positive, making the number of cases in Vietnam 16.[41]
On 25 February, the 16th was released from the hospital after being tested negative from the COVID-19, temporarily made Vietnam cleared from COVID-19 outbreak.[42] However, quarantine measures continue to be imposed until further notice.[43]
On March 3, after 20 days without new case of coronavirus, Son Loi village was approved to remove quarantine.[44]
Second wave
March
On 6 March night, Hanoi urgently announced a new case of coronavirus, the first one found in the capital of Vietnam. The patient (case #17), a 26-year-old woman, had been traveling across Europe during the outbreak. She had been exhibiting several symptoms, but didn't notify the authorities about her travel history or health conditions.[45] Within the night, the government proceeded to track and isolate roughly 200 people who either had close contact, lived on the same street, or had been on the same flight as patient #17.[46][47] The incident also sparked a wave of stockpiling purchases across the city.[48]
On 7 March afternoon, a 27-year-old Vietnamese was diagnosed with COVID-19 and moved into quarantine in Ninh Bình Province for treatment, making this the 18th case. This patient had previously been in Daegu for several days in February and, prior to testing positive, had already been quarantined - along with all passengers on the same flight from South Korea - since he re-entered Vietnam.[49] Just 2 hours later, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health confirmed 2 more cases in Hanoi, both related to the 17th case.[50] The same day, Hanoi city expanded the scope of contact tracing to F5 and raised the quarantine procedures by one level, meaning F1 to be quarantined in hospitals and treated the same as a patient case, F2-F3 to be moved into central quarantine, and F4-F5 to self-quarantine at home, with temperature checked twice per day.[50]
On 8 March, another case in Hanoi was announced, which was a 61-year-old man.[51] Later this day, 9 more cases was announced, with 4 cases in Quảng Ninh, 2 cases in Lào Cai, 2 cases in Đà Nẵng and 1 case in Thừa Thiên - Huế. All ten cases were foreigners tracked from the same flight into Vietnam with case #17.[52]
On 9 March evening, a 49-year-old British man was tested positive and put into quarantine in Quảng Nam Province, previously on the same flight with patient number 17.[53]
On 10 March, a 24-year-old Vietnamese woman who had just returned from England and previously had close contact with case #17 while in London, tested positive. She had flown back to Vietnam in a private jet with quarantined cabin - after becoming aware that case #17 was infected - in order to seek healthcare in her home country.[54] Later that day, another British man was found infected with the virus, who was on the same flight with case #17.[55] Before the end of the day, the 34th case was identified, a 51-year-old businesswoman who had visited the United States, with a brief transit in Korea and Qatar during the trip.[56]
On 11 March, Vietnam confirmed their 35th case of COVID-19, a 29-year-old woman who works in an electronics supermarket in Da Nang, and had physical contact with two infected British tourists.[57] Within the same day, 3 more case were discovered, all are related to patient number 34.[58]
On 12 March morning, Vietnamese Ministry of Health reported the 39th case of the country. This case is a 29-year-old tour guide in Hanoi, who had contact with patient number 24 during a trip to Ninh Binh.[59] Evening of the same day, five more cases were announced, all are related to patient number 34.[60]
On 14 March, 6 cases were announced. Aside from cases related to flight VN0054 and patient 34, there are 3 unrelated cases: A Vietnamese came back from Paris, a Vietnamese overseas student who has been travelling across Europe, and a Czech national.[63]
On 16 March, a new case was reported in Vietnam, known as the 61st patient. The patient, a Muslim from the Cham minority, had participated in the Tablighi Jamaat in Sri Petaling mosque, Malaysia, where he got infected before returning to Vietnam and attended the Jamiul Muslimin Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City before returning home in Ninh Thuận. Due to the wide range of people he contacted, it raised the fear of the patient being a super spread patient. Eventually, the Vietnamese authorities decided to isolate and quarantine the whole province, as well as shut the mosque.[64][65][66] Subsequently, a new-found case connected with the man were also discovered the following days.[67] On 22 March, another case also related to the Islamic activities is a fellow Muslim who returned from Malaysia also attended in the same Sri Petaling mosque, before went back to Vietnam and still did Islamic praying five times a day in Jamiul Anwar mosque, despite being asked to quarantine at home.[68]
On 22 March, Vietnam recorded over fourteen new patients, surpassing over 100 patients for the first time. Many returned from various countries, including Britain, Malaysia, and France; which were at the time severely hit by coronavirus.[69]
From 17 to 23 April, no new cases were confirmed.[71][72] However, there were reports of cases who tested positive again after being discharged.[73][74] On 24 April, two more cases were confirmed: both Vietnamese students who came back from Japan.[75]
A discharged patient in Hà Nam was pronounced death on May 4 but he was later confirmed to have died from liver failure, not COVID-19.[76][77]
Cases reported are usually people who have had travel history to China.
Phase 2 (6 – 19 March 2020)
69
The virus has spread globally, many cases reported are from other countries but it is still easy to trace spread and quarantine.
Phase 3 (20 March – 21 April 2020)
183
Infections in community, many cluster begins to appeared in high-density areas. The source of the infection is untraceable.
Phase 4 (22 April 2020 – ongoing)
3
Even after the consistently decreasing rate of cases in community, health officials still have to remains cautious for another wave from other countries.
The rising number of patients had caused serious concerns. Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc ordered measures to prevent and counter the spread of the disease into Vietnam,[81] as well as to warn Vietnamese citizens to avoid visiting areas with outbreaks.[82] Deputy minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên said that Vietnam is considering closing the border with China as a necessary countermeasure.[83]Saigon Tourist announced that it cancelled all tours to or with transit in Wuhan.[84] On 24 January, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam ordered the cancellation of all flights from and to Wuhan.[85][86]
In February 2020, Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training suspended all school activities across the country until the end of March as part of quarantine measures against the spreading of the virus, and later extended this till the middle of April until further notice.[87] Aggressive measures were also taken to combat possible outbreaks, from 14 days quarantine to restriction of outdoor activities (some sources believe it was more than 20 to 40 days under quarantine),[88] the Vietnam People's Armed Forces also takes part on patrolling and controlling measures.[89]
Vietnam has prepared for the epidemic as early as the very first case in China emerged, around mid-December 2019. Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam stated that the public service, military forces and Ministry of Health have worked out various plans in case there was an outbreak.[90] The Deputy Prime Minister added that the country "has won the first round" in the fight against the virus with 16 confirmed cases, 16 recoveries, and 0 deaths.[91]
The United States Ambassador to Vietnam, Daniel Kritenbrink, had praised Vietnam for its fast measures against the outbreak.[92] The US delegation also praised Vietnam for its quarantine efforts, and have cooperated with the Vietnamese Embassy in the United States.[93]
Even in comparison to other commended examples like South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, Vietnam has experienced a much lower number of cases and no deaths.[5] Unlike the extensive testing strategy in South Korea, Vietnam, which is less economically developed, owes its success to a low-cost model based primarily on strict quarantine and contact-tracing policies.[94][95]
However, Vietnam also received criticism for its response from anti-communistoverseas Vietnamese accused the government of not being pro-active enough and censorship.[96]
Rumours also spread that Chinese nationals fled to Vietnam from Guangxi from a video, which triggered public reactions that Chinese nationals might be escaping from the coronavirus outbreak. It was later denied by the Vietnamese and Chinese governments as misleading. The Agence France-Presse also condemned the footage as fake.[97]
Some critics of the government have been arrested for allegedly spreading false information about the coronavirus pandemic.[98]
South Korean nationals are also reportedly screened due to the rampant outbreak of COVID-19 in South Korea, which has extensive trade relationship with Vietnam.[99][100]
On 31 March 2020, Vietnamese government ordered a nationwide isolation of 15 days from 1 April to 15 April.[101]
Impact
Stockpiling
Stores across Vietnam quickly sold out of surgical masks and hand sanitisers after the initial cases of coronavirus were reported. This followed a similar trend in many other Asian countries.[102] Interim Health Minister Vũ Đức Đam urged the public to remain calm during the outbreak and avoid excessive emergency shopping.[103] Vietnamese authorities also arrested people profiteering from the outbreak.[104]
Economy
Like most of the world's economy, Vietnam was hit hard by the outbreak because of the slowdown of private and national industries, the downturn of stock exchanges, and the lower number of incoming tourists. However, Vietnam is expected to be harmed less than China.[105]
Xenophobia and non-compliance with self-isolation orders
The Asia Times reported that "A number of Vietnamese hotels and guesthouses have reportedly hung signs on their doors saying that Chinese guests are not welcome, while many Vietnamese have gone online to demand the closure of all border crossings with China."[110] Signs suggesting that Chinese customers were not welcome were seen in front of a shop in Phu Quoc and a restaurant in Da Nang.[111]
Anger was also reported due to the increasing number of the infected cases coming from the Muslim community returning from Malaysia following their attendance of the Tablighi Jamaat festival in Sri Petaling mosque, and two to three patients did not obey the self-quarantine law in Vietnam and still attended Islamic events in Ho Chi Minh City, leading to fury and demands to imprison the Muslim population, even among Vietnamese celebrities.[112]
In popular culture
Vietnam's National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health commissioned artists to release the song "Ghen Cô Vy" ("Jealous Coronavirus"), a remake of the 2017 song "Ghen" ("Jealous"), to teach people how to thoroughly wash their hands during the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.[113][114] It has gone viral amidst the coronavirus outbreak, first earning praise from John Oliver in his talk show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and has become increasingly popular among public and frequently duplicated by netizens, with UNICEF recommending the video as a means of fighting back the fear of coronavirus.[115]
Statistics
Details of first 250 COVID-19 confirmed cases in Vietnam (as of 5 May 2020) (
^Thùy, Hoàng (30 January 2020). "Ba người Việt Nam nhiễm viêm phổi Vũ Hán" [Three Vietnamese are infected with Wuhan pneumonia]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 2 February 2020.
^Quỳnh, Thúy; Hoàng, Lê (3 February 2020). "Bệnh nhân nhiễm virus corona đầu tiên xuất viện" [Patients infected with corona virus first discharged]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
^Ngọc, Xuân (1 February 2020). "Ca thứ 6 Việt Nam nhiễm virus corona" [Case 6 in Vietnam with corona virus]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
^Ngọc, Xuân (4 February 2020). "Bệnh nhân viêm phổi thứ ba xuất viện" [The third pneumonia patient discharged]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
^Nga, Lê (2 February 2020). "Ca thứ 7 ở Việt Nam nhiễm virus corona" [Case 7 in Vietnam with corona virus]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
^Nga, Lê (3 February 2020). "Ca thứ 8 mắc virus corona ở Việt Nam" [Case 8 infected with corona virus in Vietnam]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
^Lê, Chi (4 February 2020). "Ca thứ 9 ở Việt Nam nhiễm virus corona" [Case 9 in Vietnam with corona virus]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
^Nga, Lê (4 February 2020). "Ca nhiễm virus thứ 10 ở Việt Nam" [Case 10 in Vietnam with corona virus]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
^Nga, Lê (6 February 2020). "Thêm 2 người Vĩnh Phúc dương tính nCoV" [2 more Vĩnh Phúc people were positive for nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
^Nga, Lê (7 February 2020). "Việt Nam nuôi cấy thành công nCoV" [Vietnam succeeds in isolating novel coronavirus]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 7 February 2020.
^Nga, Lê (9 February 2020). "Thêm một người Vĩnh Phúc dương tính nCoV" [Another case in Vĩnh Phúc Province with nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
^Quỳnh, Thúy; Lê, Chi (10 February 2020). "Ba bệnh nhân viêm phổi corona xuất viện" [Three patients with coronary pneumonia discharged]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 10 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
^Lê, Chi (11 February 2020). "Bé gái Vĩnh Phúc 3 tháng tuổi dương tính nCoV" [3-month-old Vinh Phuc girl was positive for nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 11 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
^Nga, Lê (13 February 2020). "Ca thứ 16 tại Việt Nam dương tính nCoV" [The 16th case in Vietnam was positive for nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
^Anh, L.; Long, X.; Tuệ, C.; Điểu, T. (6 March 2020). "Hà Nội có 1 ca dương tính nCoV, là ca thứ 17 ở Việt Nam" [Hanoi had 1 positive case of nCoV, the 17th case in Vietnam]. Tuổi Trẻ (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
^Định, Tất; Táo, Hoàng; Tuân, Viết; Thạnh, Võ; Thành, Đắc (8 March 2020). "Cách ly hàng trăm người liên quan 'bệnh nhân 17'" [Isolated hundred of peoples related to 'No. 17 Patient']. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
^Hải, Võ; Định, Tất; Huy, Giang (6 March 2020). "Hà Nội cách ly khu phố có ca nhiễm nCoV" [Hanoi to quarantine the street where No. 17 Patient lives]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
^Huy, Giang (7 March 2020). "Nhiều gia đình mua đồ tích trữ lúc nửa đêm" [Many families gathering foods at midnight]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
^Nga, Lê (7 March 2020). "Ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 18 ở Việt Nam" [The 18th nCoV case in Vietnam]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
^Lê, Chi (8 March 2020). "Việt Nam công bố ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 21" [Vietnam announced the 21st case of nCoV infection]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
^Nga, Lê (8 March 2020). "Thêm 9 người dương tính nCoV" [An additional 9 people were positive for nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 9 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
^Phương, Lê (10 March 2020). "Việt Nam công bố ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 32" [Vietnam announced the 32nd case of nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 10 March 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
^Thành, Đắc; Nga, Lê (10 March 2020). "Việt Nam công bố ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 33" [Vietnam announced the 33rd case of nCoV infection]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 10 March 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
^Nga, Lê; Quốc, Việt (10 March 2020). "Việt Nam công bố ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 34" [Vietnam announced the 34th case of nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^Đông, Nguyễn; Nga, Lê (11 March 2020). "Việt Nam ghi nhận ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 35" [Vietnam recorded the 35th case of nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^Lê, Chi (11 March 2020). "Ba ca nhiễm nCoV mới ở Bình Thuận" [Three new nCoV infections in Bình Thuận]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^Lê, Chi (12 March 2020). "Công bố ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 39" [Announcing the 39th case of nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^Nga, Lê; Quốc, Việt (12 March 2020). "Thêm 5 người ở Bình Thuận dương tính nCoV" [5 more people in Bình Thuận were positive for nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^Nga, Lê; Quốc, Việt (13 March 2020). "Nam thanh niên ở TP HCM nhiễm nCoV" [Young men in HCMC are infected with nCoV]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
^Nga, Lê (13 March 2020). "Công bố ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 46 và 47" [Announcement of 46th and 47th cases of nCoV infection]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
^Phùng, Tuấn (24 January 2020). "Hàng không Việt Nam dừng bay đến Vũ Hán" [Vietnamese aviation stopped flying to Wuhan]. Tuổi Trẻ (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 24 January 2020.
^Hùng, Thanh (14 February 2020). "Sinh viên tiếp tục nghỉ học, hoãn thi" [Students continue to miss school, postpone the exam]. Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
^Văn, Trân (26 February 2020). "COVID-19, nên nhìn Iran mà ngẫm…" [COVID-19, should look at Iran and reflect...]. Voice of America Tiếng Việt (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
^Hiệp, Nghĩa (14 February 2020). "Lợi dụng dịch bệnh để trục lợi: Cần xử lý nghiêm khắc" [Taking advantage of epidemics to seek personal benefits: Enforcement is strictly required]. Báo Dân tộc và Phát triển (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
^"Bệnh Covid-19 xuất hiện ở Hà Nội" [Covid-19 disease appeared in Hanoi]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). 6 March 2020. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
^Nga, Lê (7 March 2020). "Ca nhiễm nCoV thứ 18 ở Việt Nam" [The 18th case of nCoV in Vietnam]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
^Thạnh, Võ; Thành, Đắc (11 March 2020). "Ba bệnh nhân Covid-19 ở Huế sức khỏe ổn định" [Three Covid-19 patients in Huế were in stable condition]. VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.