Daily Health and Travel Alert – U.S. Embassy Hanoi and U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (April 16, 2020)
Location: Vietnam
This is a daily update from the U.S. Embassy Hanoi and U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City to assist U.S. citizens in remaining informed during the evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Vietnam.
Daily COVID-19 Numbers:
As of April 16, Vietnam has reported 268 confirmed cases of COVID-19 within its borders since the virus first became known. To date, 171 people have recovered and have been released from the hospital.
Important Information for U.S. Citizens:
On April 15, the Vietnamese government extended the Prime Minister’s Directive on maximum social distancing, which had been set to expire. The Vietnamese government has categorized localities based on perceived risk, with those designated as lower risk (mostly rural areas and smaller cities) able to relax social distancing restrictions sooner. High-risk localities (including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Danang) are all expected to continue Directive 16’s social distancing efforts until April 22, with a potential extension until April 30 depending on the developing COVID-19 situation. Localities considered to be medium-risk must follow Directive 16 until April 22. Localities designated in the lowest risk category will follow Directive 15, which has less restrictive social distancing requirements. U.S. citizens can read more about the extension here.
U.S. citizens can find a full list of high and medium-risk localities at the Embassy’s COVID-19 page. The U.S. Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City advise U.S. citizens to follow all guidelines imposed by Vietnamese authorities.
Due to this announcement, Vietnamese Immigration offices will remain closed until at least April 22. Vietnamese Immigration has stated that U.S. citizens and other foreigners with visas that expire during the closure will not be considered overstays when the immigration offices are closed. U.S. citizens with questions about Vietnamese visas should check the Embassy’s Flight Departure and Other Assistance Frequently Asked Questions page.
We recommend U.S. citizens check the Embassy’s COVID-19 page daily for information, and register or update their information in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
