Vietnam province to isolate 1,000+ foreign steel, oil experts

Senior officials at Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Company in Quang Ngai said around 350 experts from Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand would enter Vietnam early next month to assist maintenance of Dung Quat Oil Refinery, the country’s first such facility.

Maintenance will be carried out over 51 days starting August 12.

A maximum 100 experts will be quarantined at a local hotel at one time, local authorities said.

Later this month, Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel JSC will also bring around 711 foreign experts to the central province to assist final assembly of its factory, with up to 350 visitors to be quarantined at one time.

The more than 1,000 experts will be tested twice during their 14-day quarantine period. Any positive case will be transferred and treated in the province.

Vietnam banned all foreign nationals from entering the country starting March 22. Only those carrying diplomatic or official passports, or taking part in special economic projects have been cleared for entry, though all need to present a Covid-19 free certificate from a recognized authority in the country of embarkation.

Thousands of foreign experts, including Samsung and Petrovietnam engineers, have flown to Vietnam and entered 14-day quarantine on landing.

Vietnam has gone 35 straight days without community transmission of the novel coronavirus. The nation’s Covid-19 tally stands at 324, including 60 active patients.