Police and customs officials at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi have intensified the control of the entry of visitors as part of measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

Security check at the airport. Photo: VietNamNet

Authorized officials ask for medical declaration and travel history in addition to passport and air ticket as customary, VnExpress quoted Colonel Nguyen Thi Binh Phuong, head of Police at Noi Bai International Airport, as saying.

The requirements are for the combat of the virus, Phuong said, adding that the officials check seals on passengers' passports, especially those from the European Union, Iran, South Korea, and China.

Accordingly, customs officials carefully check each page and ask about the travel history. The step takes about 40 seconds longer than before.

Vietnam required compulsory medical declaration from March 7 as a measure against the epidemic.

For passengers who made no medical declaration or had no quarantine seals, they are required to do again to complete the immigration procedures.

Noi Bai International Airport, the second biggest airport in Vietnam, welcomes an average of 15,000 passengers per day. The figure has fallen to roughly 4,200 currently amid the widespread of the virus.

After 22 days without new infections, Vietnam reported infected cases on March 6 with the infection from a passenger of a Vietnam Airlines flight from London. The passenger is believed to transmit the disease to several others. So far, 18 people positive with the virus are related to the flight.