Vietnam asks mask firms to increase production to 5 million a day

Protection masks and hats are put out for sale during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Ho Chi Minh

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has asked local mask producers to ramp up their production to make 5 million masks a day, the government said on Monday, as coronavirus cases in the country rise to 200.

"The Ministry of Health has asked mask producers to operate at full capacity," the government said in a statement, adding that Vietnam is also seeking to produce ventilators.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu, editing by Louise Heavens)