Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc onApril 28 asked localities to resume social activities and re-start economicsectors with high safety level while strictly following epidemic prevention plans.

Local authorities can promote tourism for the NationalReunification Day holiday on April 30 but the gathering of large number ofpeople should continue to be banned, he said, stressing that people must stillwear face masks outdoor. 

The PM also asked localities to take measures to ensurestudents are safe when they return to school. 

He also asked that sectors severely affected by the pandemicsuch as tourism, services, and aviation be given assistance.

The Government leader urged localities to address negativephenomena and corruption in medical equipment purchasing, saying that such actsmust be taken to investigation agencies. 

PM Phuc said that with 270 cases in a population of 100million people, Vietnam counts among the countries with the lowest infectionrate in the world. 

He applauded agencies and localities, especially Hanoi andHCM City, for their observance of instructions, saying that this is a successfor the Party, the State, and the people in the fight against the pandemic. 

PM Phuc also called for continued vigilance against theepidemic and urged medical workers, especially those on the frontlines, to stayalert.  

The Steering Committee and relevant agencies, he went on,need to continue implementing the strategies adopted to combat COVID-19,stressing that pandemic prevention work must continue at full capacity. 

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention andControl reported to the meeting that Vietnam has now gone 12 straight days withno new COVID-19 cases, with 270 infections as at 11am on April 28, 230 of whomhave recovered. 

The relapse of five patients, however, reflects the virus’scomplex transmission mechanism, the Committee said, stressing that preventivemeasures are still needed to contain its spread. /.