Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is currently the country with the second lowest ratio of COVID-19 infection cases among the total population in the Western Pacific region, with three ca♒ses per one million people, according to the World Health Organisation (♔WHO).

On the afternoon of April 21, the Ministry of Health confirmed that there were no new COVID-19 cases, marking the sixth consecutive day free of new community infections. To date, the tally has remained at 268, including 160 imported that were quarantined upon arrival. More than 75,790 people having close contact or entering from pandemic-hit areas have been quarantined at hospitals, concentrated quarantine establishments, homes or accommodations. On the same day, one patient treated at Cu Chi field hospital in southern Ho Chi Minh City officially recovered from the disease, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control’s treatment subcommittee. The subcommittee reported that 12 tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 once and eight tested negative twice.

WHO: Vietnam effective in COVID-19 fight

The WHO in the Western Pacific region held a virtual press conference on the morning of April 21. The aim was to inform the developments of COVID-19 in the region as well as the WHO response measures and scenarios that countries might encounter in the future. Takeshi Kasai, Director of the WHO in the region, said that the pandemic occurred in 22 nations with 132,438 infections, including 5,648 deaths as of April 20. He expressed his concerns over the complicated developments of the disease in some hotspots in the region, such as Japan and Singapore, while speaking highly of efforts by some nations, including Vietnam. He shared difficulties that regional countries and people are facing, adding that lockdown measures have proven effective, and people should be ready to adapt to a new lifestyle during the COVID-19 crisis. “As we move forward in this difficult time, our lives, our health systems and approaches to stopping transmission must continue to adapt and evolve, along with the epidemic”, he said, adding that at least until a vaccine or very effective treatment is found, this process will need to become our “new normal”.  Vietnam has shown effective, drastic and synchronous leadership across many levels of government, from the Prime Minister and ministers to localities, through COVID-19 prevention and control, he said. The official advised Vietnam to carefully consider how to start removing restrictions, recommending that all restrictions should not be lifted at the same time.

Vietnam’s COVID-19 test kits meet European standards

Phan Quoc Viet, director of the Viet A Technology Corporation, said today that the British Department of Health and Social Care has granted the CE marking and Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) to Vietnam’s coronavirus test kits, meeting in the European Union standards. The test kits were produced by the Vietnam Military Medical Academy and the Viet A Technology Corporation. Although the UK officially left the European Union on January 31, 2020, the EU Pharmaceutical Law will still apply to the UK until December 31, 2020. This means any product that receives the CE marking from any member state of the bloc can be sold in other EU member states. Viet disclosed that, after being given the certificate, the product had been exclusively ordered by many partners for distribution in the UK, India, Mexico, the United States and several other European countries. Currently, the only method in the world recognised by WHO as the "gold standard" for detecting SARS-CoV-2 is Real-time PCR. This method is also used by the Vietnam Military Medical Academy and the Viet A company. Currently, Viet A's production capacity is about 10,000 sets per day. If required, the company can triple its capacity to meet domestic demand, exports, and international assistance./.