Coronavirus outbreak: Vietnam to stop issuing visas to South Koreans

In an effort to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus, Vietnam on February 28 reportedly announced that it will suspend issuing visas to South Korean nationals. Vietnam has reported 16 confirmed cases of the virus till date. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 has infected over 83,000 and killed nearly 2,800 people worldwide, with a majority of them in mainland China. 

Aim to contain the virus

According to international media reports, the Vietnamese government said that the measure aims to help the nation contain the spread of COVID-19 outbreak and limit the impact of the epidemic on society.  In another announcement, foreign nations who have previously visited South Korea would be subjected to 14 days mandatory quarantine upon arrival in Vietnam. 

South Korea witnesses surge in cases

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on the afternoon of February 28 on its website that South Korea had 315 new confirmed coronavirus cases which would bring the daily number of new cases to 571. This single-day rise in the number of infected cases is greater than the increase reported by China.

Read: South Korea Reports 571 New Coronavirus Cases, Total Surpasses 2,000

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The total number of infected cases in South Korea stands at 2,022. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 90 per cent of the confirmed virus cases are in Daegu and in the neighbouring province of North Gyeongsang. The death toll remains at 13 with no new deaths reported.

Hyundai has decided to suspend the activities at one of its factories in South Korea’s southeastern city of Ulsan after a worker tested positive for the new coronavirus. According to reports, the carmaker announced the suspension of production on February 28. As a result of the closure, the shares of the carmaker have reportedly dropped more than 5 per cent. As per reports, this latest closure of the factory in South Korea comes just as Hyundai was gradually resuming production at local plants in the wake of the virus outbreaks. The coronavirus outbreak has severely affected normal operation in companies like Hyundai and Samsung.

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Read: Hyundai Shuts Factory In South Korea After Worker Tests Positive For Coronavirus