Border guards in northern Vietnam and their service dogs prepare for a mission. Photo by Bien Phong (border guard) Newspaper.

The trained dogs and 325 officials and students of two border defense colleges in Hanoi have been sent to the far north to Vietnam’s border with China.

The personnel and the dogs will ensure no one enters Vietnam through the small unmarked roads that crisscross the border bypassing medical checks that have been mandated for entry into Vietnam from areas hit by the epidemic.

Authorities have shut down 63 of 65 sub border gates on the China border and banned entry for foreigners suspected to carry the novel coronavirus - those coming from the virus-hit areas or showing symptoms like cough and fever, according to the High Command of the Vietnam Border Defense Force.

They have also set up 260 fixed and 275 mobile checkpoints to tighten control.

More than 3,000 personnel are on duty at these checkpoints, including 1,700 border officials and guards.

Vietnam has also banned entry for people coming from or through other coronavirus hotspots like South Korea, Iran, Italy and, most recently, the U.K. and the Schengen area except for those who come for diplomatic or other special reasons.

The nation has so far reported 57 cases of infection, including 41 since March 6 after going 22 days without a new case.

The Covid-19 outbreak has spread to 157 countries and territories, with the death toll climbing to over 6,500.