Coronavirus outbreak: Vietnam's major airports suspend flights from South Korea

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAV), major airports have suspended flights carrying passengers from South Korea. The coronavirus outbreak has severely worsened in South Korea. Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City have suspended receiving flights with passengers from the Republic of Korea (RoK).

Flights to be diverted

The flights carrying passengers from South Korea will instead be diverted to Van Don international airport located in the Quang Ninh province and the Can Tho International airport. Flights that are carrying goods from South Korea will still be allowed to land at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports as scheduled and only passengers from South Korea have been banned.

According to reports, the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport has instructed the authorities to direct airlines to divert flights with passengers from South Korea to Van Don and Can Tho airports. As per reports, all airlines are responsible for notifying their passengers that are travelling from South Korea to Vietnam.

Read: Coronavirus: Mumbai Airport Starts Screening Passengers Arriving From Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam And Nepal

Read: Coronavirus: Centre Plans To Begin Screening For Flights From Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia

The authorities also recommended that Vietnamese passengers that were living, studying and working in South Korea return to Vietnam as they will need to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Till now Vietnam has confirmed 16 positive cases of COVID-19 and all of them have fortunately recovered, Vietnam has not announced any new cases of the virus since February 13.

In an effort to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus, Vietnam on February 28 reportedly announced that it will suspend issuing visas to South Korean nationals. According to international media reports, the Vietnamese government said that the measure aims to help the nation contain the spread of COVID-19 outbreak and limit the impact of the epidemic on society.  In another announcement, foreign nationals who have previously visited South Korea would be subjected to 14 days mandatory quarantine upon arrival in Vietnam. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Read: Vietnam Quarantines Rural Community Of 10,000 People Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Vietnam To Stop Issuing Visas To South Koreans