The ministry has ordered the Embassy of Vietnam in the RoK to launch a round-the-clock hotline, +82 106 315 6618, for Vietnamese expats here to seek help while the management authority of Vietnamese guest workers in the Eastern Asian country has also set up a hotline number +82 103 248 6886 to provide support for those in need.

The embassy has established close contacts with people living in communities hit by the novel virus to get regular updates about the situation there and offer timely support if necessary. It has advised Vietnamese people residing in the affected areas to rigorously follow instructions made by the local authorities to prevent the spread of the virus.

According to the embassy, around 200,000 Vietnamese people are living in the RoK, including 18,502 in Gyeongsangbuk province and 8,285 in Daegu city. There is no reports about Vietnamese nationals confirmed or suspected of having the virus in the RoK so far, the ministry said.

On February 21, the ministry and the embassy advised Vietnamese citizens to avoid travelling to areas hit by or vulnerable to the COVID-19 in the RoK as warned by local competent agencies, given the complex development of the epidemic here.

The ministry asked the Korean side to ensure safety and offer medical and other support for Vietnamese people, particularly those living in the coronavirus-hit areas. The ministry is also available to provide help via its citizen protection hotline +84 981 84 84 84.