Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc has urged ministries and localities to promptly implement measures tominimise the impact of the novel coronaviru (nCoV) on the economy.

He made the request at a working session inHanoi on February 4 with the national steering committee on preventing andcombating the acute respiratory disease caused by nCoV, and ministries andsectors.

The PM said while industry-trade and agriculturesectors have resumed operation after the seven-day Lunar New Year (Tet), someactivities such as stock transaction, tourism and export have been reduced dueto the threat posed by the virus.

Given the complicated development of thedisease, he suggested taking stricter precautions to prevent outbreaks.

He told ministries and localities not to bepessimistic to avoid causing panic among the public.

The government leader required that all sectorsand localities continue dealing with the disease, accepting the sacrifice of someeconomic interests to protect the health of people.

At the same time, the Government leaderrequested prompt measures for restructuring production and ensuring growth.

He tasked the Ministry of Health to buildscenarios to cope with the disease without causing excess anxiety among the public,while the Ministry of Science and Technology focus on studying the productionof drugs and vaccines against the virus.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourismmust be stricter in managing festivals, he said.

The Finance Ministry was told to preparesufficient funding for epidemic prevention and control.

PM Phuc also recommended limiting theorganization of meetings and conferences with large numbers of participants toreduce risks of virus spreading.

According to the Ministry of Health, coronavirusfirst occurred in China’s Wuhan city in December 2019, and has spread to manycities in China as well as 26 other countries and territories.

As of 15:30 on February 4, the world recorded20,631 infection cases and 427 deaths, including 425 fatalities in mainland China,one in the Philippines, and one in Hong Kong (China).

Vietnam has so far confirmed 10 infectioncases.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son has said that the Vietnamese health sector is capable of diagnosing, treating and curing patients infected with the acute respiratory disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Expressing the confidence at a meeting in Hanoi on February 3, Son further said there are about 17,000 confirmed nCoV cases, including 362 deaths, around the world at present. The fatality rate of this disease is some 2 percent, compared to the 9.6 percent of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the past.

He predicted that the number of nCoV cases is likely to soar in the time ahead.

The deputy minister said with the health sector’s capacity, support from other sectors and drastic directions by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam, the Ministry of Health will fulfill its tasks to ensure people’s health.

Regarding Chinese nationals returning to work in Vietnam after the Lunar New Year holiday and the possible surge of Vietnamese coming home from China, where the nCoV is raging, Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Tran Don said the border guard force has suspended the entry into Vietnam by people from China at all border crossings.

At border gates, relevant agencies will isolate all people coming from nCoV-hit areas, especially China’s Hubei province – the epicenter of the epidemic. Meanwhile, suspected cases or persons from other affected regions will also be quarantined at medical establishments or local communities, he added.

At the meeting, Deputy PM Dam, head of the national steering committee for the nCoV-caused disease prevention and control, stressed that relevant agencies and localities must not be subjective but stay proactive in disease prevention and control./.