Read what is in the news today:

Society

-- A pedestrian zone dubbed 'the backpackerarea' in Hue, the capital city of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, which encompasses Chu Van An Street, Pham Ngu Lao Street, and Vo Thi Sau Street, has become deserted after local authorities called on shops, restaurants, and bars to voluntarily suspend their business for disinfection due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

-- The Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City has asked to disseminate the list of passengers traveling on flight VN0054 as over a dozen COVID-19 patients confirmed across Vietnam in the past few days have been linked to this flight that departed from London and arrived in Hanoi on March 2.

-- The Overseas South Korean Community in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday visited and presented 350 gifts to a makeshift hospital for people being quarantined over COVID-19 in Cu Chi District, where about 50 South Korean nationals and 200 Vietnamese people are being isolated to avoid the spread of the viral disease.

-- More than VND6.67trillion (US$286.43 million) will be needed for radical solutions to unsafe pathways that unlawfully cross railways across Vietnam, according to a project to ensure traffic order and road safety corridors that has been signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Business

-- Vietnam Airlines, the only Vietnamese airline that operates routes between Vietnam and European destinations, has announced it will temporarily reduce the frequency of flights on these routes from March 25 due to the complicated developments of COVID-19 in Europe.

-- Local authorities in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Wednesday decided to temporarily close tourist sites in the province, including Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay, for two weeks starting from Thursday to prevent the COVID-19 spread.

Sports

-- Vietnam failed to secure a berth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s football tournament despite scoring a historic goal in their second-leg play-off against Australia on home turf on Wednesday evening as they were defeated 1-2 on the night and 1-7 on aggregate.

-- Vietnam's Than Quang Ninh defeated Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC of Cambodia 4-1 on Wednesday to register their first win in Group G of the 2020 AFC Cup.

World News

-- The novel coronavirus has infected over 121,300 people and killed more than 4,300 globally as of Wednesday, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

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