HCMC – The Ministry of Health this evening, November 7, confirmed 7,646 fresh Covid cases, with 15 of them imported and 7,631 locally infected in 56 cities and provinces, up 151 cases over yesterday.
Among the new domestic cases, HCMC took the lead with 1,009 cases, up 23 day-on-day, taking the city’s caseload in the ongoing fourth wave of the pandemic, which began in late April, to 438,624.
Dong Nai Province came second with 997, followed by Binh Duong with 826, An Giang with 427, Kien Giang with 398 and Tay Ninh with 393. Other localities reported fewer than 300 cases each.
The latest Covid infections have raised the country’s Covid tally to 968,684, including 963,757 locally-infected cases reported in the fourth coronavirus wave.
Over 1,300 Covid patients were discharged from hospitals nationwide today, taking the country’s total recoveries to 840,402.
The ministry also reported 61 new Covid facilities, including 31 in HCMC, seven in Bac Lieu, five each in Binh Duong and An Giang, four in Tien Giang, two each in Dong Nai and Kien Giang and one each in Dak Nong, Binh Thuan, Can Tho, Quang Ngai and Soc Trang. Vietnam’s Covid death toll now stands at 22,531.
In related news, HCMC’s outlying district of Hoc Mon currently has 25 Covid infection clusters in the community, with over 6,700 positive cases having been detected through rapid Covid tests over the past two weeks, according to the Hoc Mon District Healthcare Center.
The 25 clusters were found in Xuan Thoi Thuong, Dong Thanh, Ba Diem, Nhi Binh, Xuan Thoi Son, Tan Thoi Nhi and Trung Chanh communes.
Elsewhere, Lam Dong Province has decided to suspend several non-essential services and activities, including night markets, karaoke and massage parlors, cinemas, internet and game shops and bars, starting from November 9 until further notice to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Other services remain operational, but must comply with Covid safety protocols, according to a dispatch signed by Lam Dong Vice Chairman Dang Tri Dung today.
Between July 2 and October 15, the province reported 403 Covid infections. However, since the province deployed the Government’s Resolution 128 on October 16, it has detected some 300 more cases, according to the provincial government. The surge in the case number prompted the province to tighten anti-Covid measures.
Meanwhile, the Phan Thiet City government in Binh Thuan Province this morning issued a dispatch asking local authorities to strengthen anti-pandemic measures and requiring residents not to venture out from 7.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m., except for special purposes.
The decision was made due to the complicated development of Covid-19, according to the municipal government.
Also, Phan Thiet City has set up 12 coronavirus checkpoints at the entrances to the city, the local media reported.
In another development, over 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer Covid vaccine donated by the United States arrived in HCMC on November 7, raising the U.S.’s total vaccine donation to Vietnam to 14.6 million.
Vietnam has administered a total of 89.6 million doses of the Covid vaccine nationwide. Over 28.7 million people have got two shots of vaccine.
