Vietnamese companies will postpone the readmission of Chinese workers as a measure to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus epidemic.

The suspension will be applied for all Chinese workers who came back their country for the Lunar New Year last month.

Health quarantine has been tightened at border gates. Photo: Tuoitrethudo

Under a request by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs on February 2, foreign workers who transited any Chinese epidemic-hit place will not be allowed to enter Vietnam.

In case they have been in Vietnam, local employers need to report the list of workers for the checkup and quarantine for 14 days since the entry.

In addition, the ministry asked relevant agencies and managing boards of industrial parks to temporarily stop granting work permits for foreigners who came from epidemic-hit areas.

In another move, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked local authorities to support the repatriation of Chinese visitors who stay in Vietnam’s central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

Accordingly, the local authorities have worked with the government’s agencies to support the repatriation of 5,361 Chinese visitors, including 520 investors and licensed workers.

Earlier on February 1, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAA) stopped licensing all flights from and to China following the rising infections and deaths globally.

Khanh Hoa is one of three localities detecting the infections. One hotel receptionist was infected after making contact with the two Chinese nationals who then tested positived with the virus and were treated in a Ho Chi Minh City hospital.

Vietnam first declared nCoV an epidemic in Khanh Hoa on February 1 before Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc declared a national epidemic.

Khanh Hoa, one of tourist hubs in the country, welcomed 2.4 million of Chinese visitors in 2019, which accounted for 70% of foreign visitors to the locality.

The province has halted welcoming Chinese tourists since January 28.