1,700 tourists to be evacuated from the Covid-19 epicenter Danang
Da Nang authorities are asking for permission for special flights to evacuate nearly 1,700 tourists trapped by the Covid-19 outbreak in the city.
In a proposal to the Ministry of Transport and related health agencies, they said 1,695 tourists, mainly from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, had registered to fly home.
Da Nang, a leading tourist attraction and the epicenter of the country’s second Covid-19 wave with 193 infections, has re-applied its social shuns within 15 days of 28 July. Flights to and from the central coastal city have been suspended.
Mr. Dinh Viet Thang, Director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, said his agency is considering options with Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air to evacuate those stranded people.
Since the returnees’ localities need time to prepare their vehicles and personnel for the quarantine of such a large number, the flight schedules have yet to be finalized.
The tourists, who will pay their own fare, will be quarantined for 14 days.
Health authorities in Hanoi and HCMC want Da Nang to check Covid-19 for tourists before they board their flight.
Hanoi has had three cases, all involving Da Nang, since July 25 when the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in Da Nang after a 99-day non-infectious chain from the national community. . According to the report, 95,000 people have returned to the capital from Da Nang as of July 1.
Ho Chi Minh City, with 44,000 people returning from the central city as of 1 July, reported eight domestic infections.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Monday agreed to evacuate tourists from Da Nang.
298 local cases have been recorded in Vietnam since July 25, of which Da Nang accounts for 193 and the neighboring province of Quang Nam 29. Dak Lak, Quang Ngai, Dong Nai, Thai Binh, Ha Nam, Bac Giang and Lang Son have also reported cases. All are affiliated with Danang.
Vietnam closed its borders and suspended all international flights on March 25, halting visas for foreign nationals since March 18th. Only Vietnamese people stuck in the country. In addition, foreign experts and skilled workers are only allowed to enter the country at this time.
Source: Huu Cong, Nguyen Quy, (August 7, 2020), 1,700 tourists to be evacuated from Covid-19 epicenter Da Nang. Retrieved from vnexpress.net
