Ha noi

First-quarter low growth seeks solutions The nation's economic growth in the first half of the year was at a rate lower than that targeted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic hurting production and business activities. The government is mulling over new solutions to drive the economy forwards, with some international forecasts still proving upbeat. Based on economic performance in the first five months of this year, the government has just reported to the National Assembly Standing Committee its fresh forecast that the economy’s total GDP in the first six months of this year will be nearly VND4 quadrillion (US$174.4 billion), up about 5.8% year-on-year, or 0.42 percentage points lower than the target of 6.22% as set out in the Resolution No.01/NQ-CP released on January 1 on the key tasks for the implementation of the socioeconomic development plan and state budget estimates for 2021. The 5.8% rise will also be 0.12 percentage points lower than the government’s [Read More]

Health Ministry confirms 112 new Covid-19 cases The Saigon Times A worker at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in HCMC is injected with the Covid-19 vaccine this morning. Vietnam’s Covid-19 tally has risen to 12,620 - PHOTO: MINISTRY OF HEALTH HCMC - The Ministry of Health has confirmed 112 new Covid-19 cases, with 109 of them caused by local transmission and three imported, sending the country’s total infections to 12,620 as of this afternoon, June 19. The domestic cases were detected in eight cities and provinces, including 64 in HCMC, 22 in Bac Giang, 14 in Bac Ninh, three in Long An, two in Hoa Binh, two in Nghe An, one in Lao Cai and one in Hanoi. The three imported cases were reported in Thanh Hoa, Ha Nam and Tay Ninh. They were quarantined right after returning to the country. The number of domestic infections has amounted to 9,376 since the fourth Covid-19 wave began on April 27. Vietnam has administered over 2.2 million Covid-19 vaccine shots so far. On June 18 [Read More]

HCMC rolls out large-scale vaccination campaign today By Minh Duy A worker of FPT Software at Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Thu Duc City gets a shot of Covid-19 vaccine - PHOTO: D.T HCMC - HCMC this morning, June 19, started a large-scale Covid-19 vaccination campaign at Saigon Hi-tech Park in Thu Duc City, with some 1,000 doses to be administered to workers at FPT Software and Nipro2 today. Speaking at the vaccination kickoff ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said that HCMC is a key city in Vietnam, playing an important economic and political role in the country. However, the city is currently one of the largest coronavirus hotspots in the latest wave of Covid-19, so as soon as receiving some one million doses from Japan, the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control decided to allocate 836,000 doses to the city, he added. Deputy PM Binh said that as these doses only met part of the city’s need, they would be given to the [Read More]

City Party Chief Nguyen Van Nen is vaccinated in the drive (Photo: SGGP) Central and municipal leaders at the vaccination drive launch (Photo: SGGP) The launching ceremony for the drive was held at FPT Software Company in the Hi-Tech Park in Thu Duc City this morning with the participation of Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, HCMC Party Chief Nguyen Van Nen, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long , Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung and the Japanese Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City, Watanabe Nobuhiro. An employee of FPT is vaccinated (Photo: SGGP) An employee of FPT is vaccinated (Photo: SGGP) The mass vaccination drive is scheduled to finish before June 27 with 200,000 people a day. Speaking at the ceremony, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh reiterated that from April 27 to now, the Southeast Asian country has entered the fourth wave of Covid-19 and Ho Chi Minh City recorded more than 1,100 cases. Mr. Binh [Read More]

Through the tracing process, the first case is confirmed to be a 47-year old construction worker named N.D.T, who is living in Bao Vinh B Quarter, Bao Vinh Ward, Long Khanh City. Previously, the worker had closely contacted with a female trader at Hoc Mon Agricultural Wholesale Market in Ho Chi Minh City. The rest one is an employee of House Ware Company in Binh Chuan Ward, Thuan An City, Binh Duong Province named N.T.N., who is living in a rental house in Thanh Phu Commune, Vinh Cuu District, Dong Nai Province. This morning,  Mr. Le Duc Thuy, Chairman of the Confederation of Labor in Trang Bom District and member of the district Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, said that more than 18,000 workers of Pousung Vietnam Company were forced to stay at home because the wife of the first Covid-19 case was infected with the novel coronavirus and she is working at A7 factory of the company. Over 18,000 workers of Pousung Vietnam Company must stay at home after the [Read More]

"Dustin Phuc Nguyen gave up a potential TV host career as a VJ for MTV channel in 2016 to co-start his YouTube channel, Dustin On The Go, where he hosts his own creative shows, starring top celebrities and influencers," YouTube said in a blog post on June 18. Dustin Phuc Nguyen is among four pioneering LGBTQ+ creators in Southeast Asia. Photo courtesy of YouTube. Many of his talk shows have become very popular, including ‘Bar Stories,’ in which he meets and talks with celebrities while drinking cocktails, and ‘Caraoke with Dustin.’ He came out as gay in a talk show on national television in 2019 and has since been an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. In 2020, he ran ‘Love Is Blind,’ a blind date talk show that connected couples of all genders. "We want to explore topics that are often on the sidelines of the mainstream discussion," he once told media outlet Vietcetera in an interview. "There are many untold stories in this world and even more talented [Read More]

The woman from the northern province of Bac Giang, who had hypertension, diabetes and other conditions, tested positive for the coronavirus on June 12, displaying symptoms like coughing and difficulty breathing on June 14. After being admitted to the ICU of the Bac Giang Mental Hospital, she experienced high fever and hemorrhaging under the skin on June 16. She fell into a coma on June 17, and despite having received multiple treatments, she died on June 18. Her causes of death were pneumonia due to Covid-19, septic shock and multiple organ failure. The man, from the north central province of Thanh Hoa, had bronchial cancer that had metastasized. He tested positive for the coronavirus on May 15 and was admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi. He responded poorly to treatments before dying on June 19. His causes of death were pneumonia due to Covid-19, septic shock and invasive fungal infections. Since the new wave on April 27, Vietnam has recorded 29 [Read More]

Hoang Duc Hanh, deputy director of the municipal Department of Health, on Saturday said the municipal People's Committee would consider relaxing certain Covid-19 control measures. However, exactly when and which kind of businesses and services get to reopen have yet to be announced. Hanoi's Party unit recently stated the city could reopen certain businesses and activities, as well as outdoor sporting activities with 20 people or less, but that the municipal People's Committee must carefully consider the timing and ensure all necessary coronavirus prevention measures are in place to prevent further outbreaks. Tran Dac Phu, former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health, said whether coronavirus control measures could be relaxed or not does not depend on if a locality has gone 14 or 21 days without new cases. Each locality can decide on an appropriate time to do so, depending on their own unique situation. "The coronavirus situation has [Read More]