Daily caseload hits 16,135 as Hanoi’s tally reaches nearly 3,000

A total of 16,135 COVID-19 infections were confirmed by the Ministry of Health across 60 localities nationwide on January 12, with Hanoi remaining the locality recording the highest number of infections at 2,948.

The three localities reporting hundreds of infections are Khanh Hoa (772), Binh Dinh (702), and Ho Chi Minh City (696)

The total national caseload since the start of the pandemic has risen to 1,958,719, putting Vietnam at 28th out of 224 countries and territories in terms of overall infections.

Furthermore, 38,943 COVID-19 patients were announced to have recovered from the virus on the same day, thereby raising the number of recovered cases to 1,635,899.

An additional 213 people were confirmed to have died from the pandemic over the past 24 hours. With 34,964 fatalities confirmed so far, the nation ranks 26th out of 224 countries and territories for COVID-19 deaths worldwide.

Moreover, over 78.4 million people in the country have now received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, whilst more than 71.5 million have received their second doses.

One day earlier, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued an official dispatch issued demanding the COVID-19 vaccination process to be further sped up and disease prevention measures intensified.

This move will see provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide seriously and drastically carry out anti-pandemic measures, especially applying the 5K principle and improving public awareness, as directed by the Government, the PM, and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. As such, they have to remain vigilant and increase home treatment for the patients with mild or no symptoms.

The Ministry of Health is therefore in charge of ensuring sufficient COVID-19 medicine and vaccines, boosting the domestic vaccine production, continuing to consider international experience, and consulting experts about the administration of booster shots. This should be done whilst ramping up inspection and guidance to combat corruption, wastefulness, and group interest in the country’s ongoing pandemic fight.

The Ministry of Health has also been asked to work alongside the Ministry of Education and Training and relevant agencies to consider the import of COVID-19 vaccines and the inoculation of people under 18, according to the dispatch.