Airlines to refund Vietnam-China flight tickets

Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and low-cost arm Jetstar Pacific stated Friday both would refund tickets and allow free schedule changes for passengers flying to and from Chinese cities starting Friday until further notice.

The two airlines do not currently operate direct flights to Wuhan City in central China, epicenter of the new deadly pneumonia virus outbreak.

Both would provide masks and gloves to passengers on its flights to and from China if requested.

Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) Thursday ordered all flight permits be cancelled and the granting of new permits to all flights connected to Wuhan by both Vietnamese and foreign airlines be suspended.

The Ministry of Health has ordered all tourists from China entering Vietnam complete health declaration forms as it combats the spread of the new coronavirus.

Two Chinese nationals have been quarantined at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City since Thursday after testing positive for the pneumonia virus. 

China on Saturday said 41 people had died and 1,300 been infected globally due to the virus.

World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus an "emergency in China" this week but stopped short of branding it an international concern. 

Most fatalities have involved elderly patients, many with pre-existing conditions, WHO confirmed.