Van Don airport in Covid-19 cluster reopens after more than a month

The Ministry of Transport had closed it on January 28 after a male worker tested positive for the coronavirus that day.

With the airport opening, Vietnam Airlines has resumed its HCMC-Quang Ninh service, flying once a week until March 17, and thrice after that. Vietjet has begun to fly four times a week.

Also on January 28 a woman factory worker in Hai Duong Province next door was diagnosed with Covid-19, marking the return of local transmission in Vietnam after almost two months.

The infection quickly spread across Quang Ninh, prompting the northern province to put 14 communes and an islet in Van Don District and several areas in Ha Long, Cam Pha and Uong Bi towns under lockdown.

The sources of transmission in Quang Ninh and Hai Duong have yet to be identified.

So far 865 cases have been detected in 13 cities and provinces, including HCMC and Hanoi, with Hai Duong accounting for 684 and Quang Ninh for 61.

But Quang Ninh and nine other localities have now gone 20 days without new infections.

All workers at Van Don airport have finished their mandatory quarantine and tested negative thrice.

The province has also announced non-essential businesses can partially resume operations except in Dong Trieu Town, which used to be under lockdown.

But Covid-19 prevention protocols remain in place, including social distancing, health declarations and masks, while tourist services are only allowed to serve locals.