Hanoi's government will cover all expenses of tests for people who have made close contact with confirmed and suspected cases of Covid-19, including foreigners, local media quoted Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung as saying at a meeting late on March 11.

Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung speaks at the meeting. Photo: Cafef

Chung stated that the risk of infection in Hanoi comes from many directions but the most likely source is Noi Bai International Airport, as about 5,000-6,000 tourists arrive at the port everyday, including from Covid-19 epidemic-hit regions.

The Hanoi mayor stressed that the current task is to focus on supervising and reviewing thoroughly medical declarations of foreigners and Vietnamese nationals coming to Hanoi in international and domestic flights.

Besides, the city’s government encourages people with children returning from epidemic-hit regions like Europe, South Korea, and Japan to proactively report to health facilities and self isolate.

Moreover, the city has launched a self-awareness campaign asking residents to supervise and timely report those suspected cases who do not comply with self-isolation.

Mayor Chung added that the municipal People's Committee had agreed to support VND100,000 (US$4.3) per day for all isolated people in hospitals, quarantine centers, and at homes.

As of March 12, Hanoi has recorded five Covid-19 cases, with the first detected on March 6. It has also tested 2,277 samples collected from people returning from coronavirus-hit areas and kept at quarantine centers, and all were negative.