Coronavirus-hit localities told to stop all festivals
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien has requested the localities that have declared outbreaks of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to halt all festivals, including those currently underway, to fight the spread of the acute respiratory disease caused by this virus.
Tourists wear face masks while visiting the Trang An Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh province (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Culture, Sports andTourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien has requested the localities that have declaredoutbreaks of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to halt all festivals,including those currently underway, to fight the spread of the acuterespiratory disease caused by this virus.
The ministry said on February 3 that in a recentnotice sent to provinces and centrally-run cities, Minister Thien also asked themto suspend all activities at historical – cultural relic sites and sceniclandscapes to prevent gatherings so as to reduce infection risks.
He also demanded stronger inspection andsettlement of violations in the implementation of the Prime Minister and theministry’s directives and notices relevant to the nCoV prevention and control.
On February 1, Prime Minister Nguyen XuanPhuc signed a decision declaring the nCoV-caused disease causing an epidemic inVietnam.
The decision noted that the epidemic began onJanuary 23 with the first two confirmed cases to be two Chinese nationals. Thescope of the epidemic was identified in the three provinces of Khanh Hoa, ThanhHoa and Vinh Phuc.
As of February 3 morning, Vietnam had recordedeight nCoV cases.
The latest patient is a female worker from thenorthern province of Vinh Phuc who returned to Vietnam from China’s Wuhan city,the epicentre of the epidemic, last month on a China Southern Airlines flight,the same flight taken by three other Vietnamese previously tested positive tothe virus.
The other cases consist of two Chinese nationals(a man and his son), a Vietnamese hotel receptionist having contact with thetwo Chinese, and a US citizen transiting Wuhan on his flight to Vietnam.
Earlier, the World Health Organisation haddeclared the 2019-nCoV outbreak a public health emergency of internationalconcern./.
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Tourists wear face masks while visiting the Trang An Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh province (Photo: VNA) 
