CDC scrapes Vietnam from list of areas suffering widespread coronavirus transmission

By Dang Khoa February 27, 2020 | 11:56 pm PT

A medical staff disinfects an ambulance car at Son Loi Commune, a novel coronavirus hub in Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam, February 20, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh.

The U.S. has removed Vietnam from its list of areas experiencing widespread or sustained community transmission of Covid-19, which currently includes China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea.

During an online meeting Thursday with Vietnam's Embassy to the U.S. and foreign and health ministries, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lauded Vietnam for achieving positive results in tackling the Covid-19 epidemic by synchronously quarantining those suspected of contracting the virus and monitoring and treating infected patients.

Based on the assessment, the CDC decided to remove Vietnam from the list last updated Wednesday (U.S. time).

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Vietnam has responded well to the Covid-19 epidemic from the very outset, preventing its spread.

A CDC representative said the agency is planning to visit Vietnam in the second half of March to strengthen medical cooperation activities between both countries and promote the establishment of a local CDC regional office.

HHS stated it would consider providing additional support to Vietnam via more disease prevention equipment.

Regarding regional cooperation, the U.S. wants to enhance ASEAN-U.S. exchange and cooperation activities on disease prevention. This will be one of the topics of interest at ASEAN-U.S. Summit scheduled for March 14 in Las Vegas.

Many American businesses are also interested in promoting medical cooperation with Vietnam.

According to U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, among the delegation of over 40 U.S. businesses visiting Vietnam from March 3-6, about 20 specializing in health and pharmaceuticals would seek to promote joint opportunities locally.

The country's last Covid-19 patient out of 16 confirmed infections was discharged Wednesday. Vietnam has recorded no new cases over the past two weeks.

Vietnam has suspended entry from all coronavirus-hit countries and territories since Tuesday, to include cities in South Korea, Japan, Italy, and Iran.

The global death toll from the Covid-19 epidemic has reached 2,858, mostly in China, followed by Iran at 26, Italy at 17 and South Korea at 13.