President Trump thanks Vietnam for shipping Covid-19 protective suits

"This morning, 450,000 protective suits landed in Dallas, Texas. This was made possible because of the partnership of two great American companies—DuPont and FedEx—and our friends in Vietnam. Thank you," Trump tweeted on Thursday morning (GMT+7).

Vietnam sent the first shipment from Hanoi Wednesday, according to the government portal.

The U.S. is expected to receive a total of 4.5 million such suits, made by DuPont in the northern city of Hai Phong, in over a month, said the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam.

The second shipment of 450,000 suits will be sent on Friday, it said.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Dan Kritenbrink said in a public statement Wednesday: "This shipment will help protect healthcare professionals working on the frontlines against Covid-19 in the United States and demonstrates the strength of the U.S.-Vietnam partnership."

Since the onset of the national epidemic, Vietnam has been working closely with the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to monitor and respond to the escalating disease.

The United States, now the worst hit nation with more than 435,000 infections including almost 14,800 deaths, is among countries that have received support from Vietnam in the ongoing global health crisis.

On Tuesday, Vietnam handed over 550,000 antibacterial cloth masks to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. to support their Covid-19 fight.

In early April, Vietnam sent Germany 6,000 test tubes to aid the country in finding a cure for the Covid-19 disease.

Vietnam has also given medical equipment, including specialized protective clothing, medical masks and Covid-19 test kits worth over VND7 billion ($296,000) as gifts to Laos and Cambodia.

In early February, Vietnam donated $500,000 worth of goods and medical supplies to help China deal with the fast-spreading novel coronavirus outbreak.

As of Thursday morning, Vietnam had not recorded any new infection for 24 hours, the first time in over a month. The country's Covid-19 tally stands at 251. Half the number of patients, 126, have been discharged from hospitals. 

The pandemic has affected 209 countries and territories, killing more than 88,500 people.