The new locally infected Covid-19 caseload in Vietnam fell from 11,208 day-to-day cases to 91,916 on Sunday, March 27, the health ministry reported.
According to the health ministry, the capital Hanoi still accounted for the highest number of new cases, with 10,252, followed by Bac Giang with 3,997, Yen Bai with 3,977 and Nghe An with 3,976. Daklak, Phu Tho, Lao Cai and Lang Son each also had more than 3,000 cases.
The latest Covid cases have boosted the country’s number in the current fourth wave to more than nine million, including nearly 5.35 million recoveries.
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On Sunday alone, it was announced that nearly 185,900 patients had recovered from the disease. Meanwhile, the ministry confirmed 48 Covid deaths, bringing the total number of Covid deaths in the country to 42,306, local media reported.
In related news, the Department of Health has asked the government for approval to receive 13.7 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, including 4.7 million Pfizer doses and nine million Moderna doses, offered by Australia for local children.
In a report sent to the prime minister on March 26, the ministry said the Australian embassy in Hanoi would be responsible for transporting the vaccines to Vietnam.
The vaccines will be delivered to Vietnam in two batches. The first batch, including 0.7 million Pfizer doses and nine million Moderna doses, can be shipped to Vietnam early next month.
The second batch, consisting of four million Pfizer doses, will be delivered through UNICEF next month.
The health ministry said it could start vaccination next month. It will also continue to look for other vaccine sources.
The ministry has yet to explain why it has proposed accepting the Moderna vaccine, even though the vaccine is not approved for children.
In its report, the ministry said that the European Medicines Agency and the Canadian and Australian Ministries of Health recommend the use of Spikevax (Moderna) vaccine for children aged 6-11 years. The ministry has received documents on the use of the vaccine for these children from Zullig Pharma Vietnam, which imports the Moderna vaccine into Vietnam, according to the Saigon Times.
