Ho chi minh city viet nam

More than 20 employees at a COVID-19 treatment hospital in Ho Chi Minh City have tested positive for the novel coronavirus despite having received two shots of COVID-19 vaccine.

As of Saturday night, 22 staff members at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases in District 5 had been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to the municipal Center for Disease Control (HCDC).

The local health department had decided to turn this hospital into a specialized COVID-19 treatment facility earlier this week.

Among the 22 patients, seven work in the IT department while the other 15 are members of the administrative office.

The first case of the cluster, an employee of the IT department, was detected on Friday.

After stating in his health declaration that he had a mild fever, body aches, and coughing, the employee was directed to a testing area. His result later came back positive for COVID-19.

The hospital collected samples from 596 employees and inpatients on Saturday and detected the other 21 cases.

The entire hospital was locked down from Saturday afternoon for disinfection and contact tracing.

Forty-six COVID-19 patients are being treated at the hospital, of whom ten are seriously ill.

The coronavirus treatment area is completely separated from the rest of the hospital.

There are spaces for these health workers to stay after work as they are not allowed to come into contact with people outside of the treatment area.

A total of 80 health workers in charge of treating COVID-19 patients at the infirmary have tested negative for the novel coronavirus.

Following the lockdown of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, a hospital for COVID-19 treatment in Cu Chi District and the COVID-19 treatment unit of Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital in District 5 were put into operation.

According to the HCDC, the source of infection of this cluster may come from outside of the hospital.

One of the cases in the administrative office is a resident of Block A1 at Ehome 3 Apartment Complex in Binh Tan District.

Blocks A6, A3, and A4 of this apartment complex were previously locked down following the detection of several COVID-19 patients.

On June 5, health workers collected random samples from residents of Block A1 for testing but the hospital employee was not among the tested.

The Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases was the first unit in southern Vietnam to begin COVID-19 inoculation based on the decision of the Ministry of Health.

It has about 900 employees, all of whom have received two shots of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.

They got their first shots in March and second in April.

The vaccine potency reaches 76 percent within 90 days after the first dose and will be maintained until the second does, a representative from AstraZeneca said, citing clinical trials.

If the interval between two doses is 12 weeks or more, the potency increases to 81 percent.

Dr. Le Quoc Hung, head of the tropical diseases department at Cho Ray Hospital, said that vaccinated people can still contract COVID-19.

The biggest benefit of vaccination is to help patients avoid severe progression of COVID-19 and limit the possibility of spreading the disease to others, Dr. Hung added.

Vietnam has documented 10,337 infections as of Sunday morning, with 3,827 recoveries and 58 deaths.

The country has recorded 7,135 local infections in 39 provinces and cities, including 719 cases in Ho Chi Minh City.

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Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — President Hồ Chí Minh’s thought, morality, and lifestyle are precious spiritual assets of the Vietnamese Party and people, illuminating the revolutionary cause, leading to the victory of the Vietnamese revolution.

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng made the remarks at the national teleconference reviewing the five-year implementation of the 12th-tenure Politburo’s Directive 05-CT-TW on enhancing the study and following of President Hồ Chí Minh ‘s thought, morality and lifestyle on Saturday.

Learning and following the late leader’s thought, morality and lifestyle is a necessary, regular and indispensable task for the entire Party and people, particularly Party organisations, State agencies and officials and Party members.

On behalf of the Party Central Committee, the Party chief welcomed and praised collectives and individuals that stand out in performing this task.

The nation’s revolutionary cause is still facing many difficulties and challenges, he noted, given rapid, complex and unpredictable developments of the national and global situations.

He stressed the importance of continuing learning and following the President’s ideology, morality and lifestyle, and highlighted the need for officials and Party members to set good examples for others.

The leader expressed his hope that this task will continue to be enhanced in a more substantive and effective manner so as to contribute to the implementation of the 13th National Party Congress’s Resolution as well as the nation building, safeguarding and renewal cause.

The national teleconference also saw the presence of Politburo members: State President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ, and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Võ Văn Thưởng. — VNS

Why did you choose to invest more into the Ho Tram area, rebrand The Grand Ho Tram to InterContinental Grand Ho Tram, and launch the new Holiday Inn Resort Ho Tram in The Grand Ho Tram Strip complex?

Ho Tram as a destination has had interesting developments planned for years, even before the pandemic. The current situation has made resorts and hotels realise the ability and resilience of the domestic market. Traditionally, Ho Tram has gained from the domestic market, and its proximity to Ho Chi Minh City gives it an edge over a lot of other destinations. Even before the current outbreak, this destination attracted domestic travellers, owing to its flexibility of travelling. Occupancies have also remained stable and strong, thus showing the consistency and buoyancy of the local market.

The two renowned brands InterContinental (IHG) and Holiday Inn are added values in our equation. Due to the lack of international travel, we decided to prepare ourselves for the future and build more rooms, capitalising on the development potential in the area and taking the franchise of the IHG brands to givesus more options to cater to various consumer tastes and stratas. Our vision is to establish ourselves as the leading entertainment destination, not just in the country but eventually in the entire region.

How does the rebranding affect future guests? Are there any changes in accommodation, services, and rates at the new hotel?

Besides the inception of a Club InterContinental lounge and in-room amenities incorporated following the IHG standards, there won’t be many changes to the accommodation. There will be an aesthetic uplift to the lobby along with certain public areas, however overall the Grand Ho Tram will maintain its grandeur. We remain an entertainment complex with world class facilities such as numerous restaurants and bars, an award-winning spa, a variety of beach-front recreational activities, and the multi award-winning Bluffs Golf Course. The new Holiday Inn Resort tower will further enhance the complex with multiple gourmet and recreational options like the food court, a kid’s club, a games arcade, and other fun-filled activities. These additions will further elevate the entire complex and allow us to cater to all guests from across the globe.

Which clients does the new hotel aim at and what unique offers are planned for them?

Looking at current consumer behaviour, we are proud that we give locals and expats an option to drive away from the city and spend their weekends in a relaxing and pleasing setting while avoiding airport hassle.

We are fully equipped to welcome guests by offering 1000+ rooms with an extensive state-of-the-art convention centre space with the capacity to serve over 1000 guests.

Additional facilities include an expansive outdoor park with a range of activities and green space along with hotel facilities such as a gym, spa, a marvelous kids club, and an array of food and beverage options included in our diverse restaurant offerings. In addition is the game zone, bowling alley, a golf simulator, pool tables, and other bar activities that make sure guests are kept engaged and provided with entertainment.

Which solutions have you applied at your hotel, resort, and casino to keep guests safe?

Before the official IHG’s brand franchise, The Grand Ho Tram Strip has carried out a range of directives to comply with the government’s instructions and keeping our guests safe which is our prime goal and of paramount importance to us. Immediate measures taken include keeping personal distance, wearing masks, and regular sterilisation of public spaces.

With the rebranding to IHG, those measures are formulated and called the IHG Clean Promise.

By Que Chi

A still photo taken from Đen Vâu’s new music video Trốn Tìm (Hide and Seek). Photo courtesy of the producer

By Phương Mai

Rap music has been dominating the Vietnamese music industry this year, with the continued success of rap artists and projects.

Đen Vâu, one of the most successful rappers in Việt Nam, set a record for the most popular Vietnamese music videos ranking No 1 in trending on YouTube in Việt Nam.

His new music video Trốn Tìm (Hide and Seek), which ranked No 1 in trending 26 hours after its release, helped the artist achieve 11 music videos in the top 1 trending.

The music video featuring MTV, one of the most popular Vietnamese boy bands in the 1990s, quickly became a phenomenon on social media.

It earned more than 28 million views when it was released on the singer’s birthday on May 13.

The song Trốn Tìm has meaningful lyrics about love and life, combined with nostalgic melody.

Đen Vâu said the music uses acoustic instruments that he selected and personally tested.

“I have never spent so much time in the studio for such a rap song. After dozens of hours a week in the studio, I finally felt confident because I didn’t take it lightly,” he said.

The song has received praise from listeners across the country.

Nguyễn Quang Duy, 30, a resident in Đồng Nai Province, said he was surprised at the first collaboration between Đen Vâu and MTV band, and their emotion and harmony in the song.

“ Trốn Tìm brings me back to beautiful memories of my growing up,” Duy said.

Đen Vâu, whose real name is Nguyễn Đức Cường, was born in Hạ Long City in Quảng Ninh Province. He wrote his first rap lyrics when he was at school.

He won the Bài Hát Việt (Vietnamese Songs) award in 2011 with the song Cây Bàng (Bàng Tree), but rose to fame with the song Đưa Nhau Đi Trốn (Escape Together) released on YouTube in September 2015.

In 2018, he released Anh Đếch Cần Gì Ngoài Em (I Need Nothing but You) , about the challenges and difficulties that urban youth face today.

The song helped him win best underground male singer and most impressive singer, at the We Choice Awards 2018 given by Zing, a social network in Việt Nam.

He was a nominee for Best Impressive Singer at VTV Awards 2019 on Việt Nam Television.

“I want to give thanks to my fans who have supported my career,” said Đen Vâu.

Rising popularity of rap show

Dế Choắt, winner of Rap Việt 2020, performs at the Rap Việt All-Star Concert 2021 in HCM City in April. Photo courtesy of the producer

Rap Việt, a reality TV music show based on a Thai show called The Rapper , has quickly become the most favourite show in Việt Nam since it first appeared in May 2020.

Its first live concert, Rap Việt All-Star 2021, earned 55 million views 72 hours after its premiere at 8pm on May 22 on streaming platform VieON.

The four-hour concert satisfied at-home audiences with exciting performances by 30 rappers coming from Rap Việt like Dế Choắt, GDucky, Hoàng Touliver, Binz, and Suboi.

The show was held on April 10 at the Sài Gòn Exhibition and Convention Centre in HCM City’s District 7, attracting an audience of 10,000.

Chouu Nguyễn, a VieON user said: “The concert was incredible. I watched the show live, but I still feel excited watching it again.”

Along with the concert, the 16-episode Rap Việt set a record as the most-viewed TV show in Việt Nam in 2020, attracting more than 576,000 concurrent viewers for its second episode.

Each episode of Rap Việt has earned 15-25 million views on YouTube.

The show also won several prizes at the 16th Devotion Music Awards organised by Vietnam News Agency’s Thể Thao & Văn Hóa (Sports & Culture) newspaper in January.

The programme was named the Music Programme of the Year, while its producer Hoàng Touliver received the Producer of the Year award.

Touliver, 34, has been involved in the electronic music scene since 2007. He has produced famous beats such as Tell Me Why and Hoa Sữa (Milky Flower).

He has worked with Space Speakers to launch several music shows in Hà Nội and HCM City, like Drop Da Bass, SpaceBass and Space Jam.

He released his first album SBNSL (Spaceboys Neva Sleep) in 2013, and has performed at big music events in Việt Nam, such as Prisma Run, Monsoon Festival 2014, and Yamaha Countdown 2015.

Rap Việt’s winner Dế Choắt, whose real name is Châu Hải Minh, was the Best New Artist.

The 25-year-old rapper from Sóc Trăng Province came to underground music in 2016, and became known with soundtracks for movies 789 Mười (789 Ten) in 2018 and Thập Tứ Cô Nương (The 14th Sister ) in 2019.

His latest music video Đêm Ghé Tìm Cô Đơn (Seeking Loneliness at Night) released on May 18, earning more than 466,000 views on YouTube.

“Thanks to the success of Rap Việt, rap music is widely known in Việt Nam. And people have more understanding about the underground music community,” said Dế Choắt, who is also well-known as a tattoo artist. VNS

The Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) in HCM City. Photo nhandan.vn

HCM CITY — The Ministry of Finance’s Chief Inspector has signed a decision to inspect the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) after its failure to resolve the chronic overload of its trading system.

The decision follows an order from Minister of Finance Hồ Đức Phớc for an immediate inspection.

The inspection delegation will work out a work plan depending on the COVID-19 situation in the city.

Nguyễn Hoàng Hải, deputy chairman of the Việt Nam Association of Financial Investors, told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) online , that the overload left investors unable to trade securities.

The problem began last year and has steadily worsened, weakening investors’ trust and causing them losses, he added.

According to evn.express.net, the system has been unstable for months, with orders simply frozen or executed very slowly, and stock prices are not displayed, forcing investors to take needless risks.

The worst happened on June 1, when there were excessive volumes and trading value topped VNĐ21.7 trillion ($935.3 million) in just the morning session. The system sounded a warning, and HoSE was forced to suspend trading in the afternoon to prevent possible problems.

From June 2, it refused to allow traders to cancel or modify orders to prevent the system from overloading.

Leading brokerages have to date reallowed the use of the features though some are still enforcing limits during peak trading hours.—VNS