Coronavirus: Vietnam confirms four new cases taking nationwide tally to 21

Vietnam has confirmed four new cases of coronavirus outbreak on March 7 taking the total nationwide tally to 21. Out of the four cases confirmed on Saturday, two of them are linked to a previously confirmed case who is a 26-year-old woman who travelled to the United Kingdom, Italy and France in February, as per reports.

Another patient who is infected with COVID-19  is a 27-year-old Vietnamese national who recently returned from South Korea on March 4, according to the reports. The Vietnamese government reportedly said that a case confirmed on Sunday is a  61-year-old man in the capital city Hanoi. However, no information about the fourth person has been released yet.

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Visa-free travel suspended for Italians

Authorities in Vietnam have temporarily suspended visa-free travel for Italians. According to reports, the suspension has been in effect from March 2. This action has been taken due to the growing concerns amid the coronavirus outbreak. As per reports, the Vietnamese government stated that visa-free travel for Italians was suspended due to the growing COVID-19 infections in Europe. The death toll in China reportedly stands at 3,097 followed by South Korea at 50. While Italy reported 233 death cases, Iran's toll stands at 145. 

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Over 3,000 dead; over 1 Lakh infected

In an effort to curb the spread of the deadly virus, Vietnam on February 28 reportedly announced that it will also 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 nations who have previously visited South Korea would be subjected to 14 days mandatory quarantine upon arrival in Vietnam. 

The new coronavirus that is believed to have originated in a local seafood market in Wuhan has claimed nearly 3600 lives across the globe and has infected more than 100, 000 people. The confirmed cases in South Korea, Italy and Iran 7134, 5883 and 5,823 respectively. 

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