HCMC – The Ministry of Health this evening, December 28, confirmed 14,440 new Covid cases, the lowest level over the past 20 days.
Among the latest cases, 19 were imported and 14,421 were locally infected in 61 cities and provinces, down 446 over yesterday.
Hanoi City still recorded the highest number at 1,920, down 28 cases day-on-day, marking the eighth straight day that the city has taken the lead in the daily caseload.
Tay Ninh Province came second with 923 infections, followed by Vinh Long with 911. Khanh Hoa, Can Tho, HCMC, Dong Thap, Haiphong and Tra Vinh detected around 580-790 cases each, while the rest were found in the other localities.
Since the ongoing fourth wave of the Covid pandemic, which began in late April, the country has reported over 1.67 million locally transmitted cases, with nearly 1.3 million Covid patients having recovered from the disease.
The ministry also reported 214 new Covid fatalities, including 35 in HCMC, 15 each in An Giang, Tay Ninh and Vinh Long, 14 each in Dong Thap and Tien Giang, 13 in Dong Nai, 12 each in Kien Giang, Can Tho and Soc Trang, and 11 in Hanoi.
Binh Duong, Long An, Ben Tre, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Hau Giang, Ca Mau, Tra Vinh, Haiphong, Lang Son, Khanh Hoa and Bac Lieu reported fewer than 10 deaths each.
The country’s Covid death toll now stands at 31,632, accounting for 1.9% of the total Covid cases.
In related news, Thua Thien Hue Province started to isolate and treat Covid patients with no or mild symptoms at home from today.
These patients must have no underlying illnesses and have got two shots of the Covid vaccine. Pregnant women are not subject to the province’s home-based care scheme, the local media reported.
The decision is aimed at easing the burden on the Covid treatment facilities and hospitals in the province, said Thua Thien Hue Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Binh.
In another development, Ninh Binh Province yesterday discovered 90 students at the Kim Dong Primary School in Kim Son District infected with Covid-19. Besides, one teacher at the school tested positive for the disease. Ninh Binh Province is treating over 580 Covid patients and has 17 coronavirus infection clusters.
