Coronavirus is a serious disease that began in China in December 2019. The virus has symptoms of an acute respiratory viral disease and leads to serious consequences - pneumonia, death. Coronavirus in Vietnam was recorded on January 23, which is confirmed by the Ministry of Health.
The number of infected, dead and recovered on the island
The exact number of infections and deaths on the island has not been established. The media spread the message that the coronavirus was confirmed in a 33-year-old Latvian who had previously visited Phu Quoc and Ho Chi Minh City.
A couple of Russian tourists were traveling with a Latvian who became 54 infected in Vietnam. On March 14, the Russian's body temperature increased and he sought help from a medical facility, where he was placed in quarantine. According to the tests performed, the patient was confirmed to have coronavirus and is being treated at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The wife of the Russian was placed in quarantine.
Doctors are checking people who were in close contact with the sick Latvian. Local authorities have asked passengers not to ignore their message and go to a medical facility to be tested for coronavirus.
Is there a panic in Fukuoka?
In Fukuoka, there is no panic among the locals. The only sign of an epidemic is an increase in sales of instant noodles and mouthwash. This is due to the fact that local residents do not want to go outside again.
Two people from Wuhan who were staying at the Marriott Hotel were admitted to the hospital after they complained of fever. Patients were tested for coronavirus and they were negative. One of the patients was diagnosed with pharyngitis complicated by inflammation of the tonsils, and the second with an acute respiratory viral infection.
Meanwhile, information has spread on social networks about the hospitalization of two Chinese tourists with a fever, they are suspected of developing a coronavirus in them. People's Committee Vice Chairman Din Thanem Binh says patients have been transferred to Phukurk District Hospital to avoid spreading panic among residents.
The Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee claims that about a thousand tourists enter the country every day through the island of Phu Quoc. To ensure active control and prevent the spread of the disease, the People's Committee strictly monitors the sanitary condition of the island and the health of passengers at the airport.
Measures taken in Fukuoka
The Kien Giang Provincial Administration issued an order on March 18 to close massage parlors, bars, restaurants, and entertainment establishments on Phu Quoc Island. The order refers to the partial or complete closure of Episode Beach, Night Market, Starfish Beach, Bai Sao. The Sun Group company made an official statement about the closure of the Aquatoria water park from March 20. The Vin Pearl Safari complex announced the closure of the contact zones. WinPearlLand Park is no longer allowed visitors.
After the situation with Latvian tourists, the island authorities decided to organize an isolation center for 100 beds. If the coronavirus spreads in Fukuoka, the patient will be sent to the Duongtov commune by the army barracks, where isolation points have been set up. The management plans to create a field hospital, which will have a thousand beds.
The authorities of the island gave a ban on visiting the island to tourists until they receive a notification. Foreign citizens will not be able to purchase ferry tickets from the mainland. On March 18, planes of the Azur travel company were not allowed to land on the island. They landed in Thailand on the island of Phuket.
After the first case of infection, three hotels on the island of Phu Quoc were closed. The date of their opening was not named. In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Vietnamese authorities have decided to keep the country's schools closed. Since February 1, the Civil Aviation Administration has suspended all flights to Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, and Macau.
Is it worth flying to Phu Quoc now?
Since the coronavirus was registered on Phu Quoc Island, tour operators are conducting a massive cancellation of tours and flights for March-April. The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Vietnam calls on Russian citizens who wish to return to the territory of their country to contact Russian institutions abroad as soon as possible. The Russian Embassy is located in Hanoi, and the Consulate General is in Ho Chi Minh City or Danag.
On March 18, 2020, the Vietnamese government decided to stop issuing all types of entry visas for 30 days. All passengers who will be arriving from the United States of America, European countries, Southeast Asia must be quarantined for 14 days.
How to cancel a tour?
On January 26, flights to Phu Quoc Island were not canceled. Rospotrebnadzor and Rostourism at that time had no recommendations for those people who were planning a vacation in Vietnam. Flights were operated on schedule, and tickets were sold. After the innovations of the Vietnamese authorities, the flights were canceled.
Russian tourists can return money for an air ticket and a tour on a general basis. Refunds for a ticket depend on the fare under which it was purchased. The amount of money for a ticket is determined by the date of departure, as the expenses of the travel company are taken into account. If an application for a ticket refund is written several days in advance, then the money will not be returned by the travel company. But, in connection with the canceled tours, the agencies return the funds for absolutely all tours.
On Phu Quoc Island, isolated cases of the spread of coronavirus have been reported. Despite this, local authorities are doing everything possible to prevent the spread of infection.