HANOI: The Vietnamese government on Sunday (March 22) has approved a ban on all foreigners entering the country in a bid to slow the spread of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.



The ban, which went into effect immediately, also applies to all overseas Vietnamese and their non-citizen spouses and children who have visa exemptions.



Foreigners who are considered experts in their fields, business managers, or have other sought after skilled labour, will only be granted visas and allowed to enter if deemed necessary.



But they must undergo medical examination and apply appropriate anti-epidemic measures at their workplace and residence as per regulations.



On Friday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc decided to cancel all international flights entering Vietnam as part of the country's ongoing efforts to stem the spread of Covid-19.



Although no date has been set for the flight ban, the restrictions will apply to both Vietnamese and international flight companies.



On Thursday, Vietnam Airlines, a major carrier in South-East Asia, had already announced they would suspend all international flights until April 30.



As of Saturday, 94 cases of Covid-19, the pneumonia-like disease caused by the novel coronavirus discovered in China late last year, have been confirmed in Vietnam, of which 17 have made a full recovery.



There are yet to be any recorded deaths of the disease in Vietnam.



The Covid-19 pandemic has now infected more than a quarter of a million people across the globe and caused more than 11,900 deaths. - dpa/Asian News Network

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