HCMC – Vietnam’s Covid-19 tally has jumped to 501,649 after the Ministry of Health confirmed 14,922 new cases this evening, September 3, the most infections recorded in a single day so far.
There were 14,894 domestic infections and 28 imported cases in 34 provinces and cities, up 1,708 cases over yesterday.
Among the locally-infected cases, HCMC reported the highest number at 8,499, up 2,636 cases against yesterday, raising the city’s caseload in the ongoing fourth wave of the pandemic to 241,084.
Binh Duong Province came second with 3,676 cases, down 828 cases from yesterday, followed by Dong Nai with 986 and Long An with 564. Tay Ninh, Tien Giang and Kien Giang detected 267, 154 and 104 cases, respectively, while the rest were found in 27 other localities.
The fresh domestic cases have raised the country’s Covid-19 count in the current fourth wave to 497,391, with 267,894 patients having recovered from the disease.
The subcommittee for treatment under the national anti-Covid steering committee today reported 338 new Covid-19 fatalities, including 250 in HCMC, 44 in Binh Duong, 30 in Ca Mau, five in Dong Thap, two each in Hanoi, Daklak and Tien Giang, and one each in Ben Tre, Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa.
Vietnam has confirmed 12,476 Covid-19 deaths to date, accounting for 2.5% of the country’s total Covid-19 cases.
In related news, the Military Hospital 175 in HCMC has raised its capacity of Covid treatment to 500 beds to meet the rising number of positive Covid cases.
Major General, Associate Professor Nguyen Hong Son, director of the hospital, said that increasing the capacity was aimed at meeting the needs of patients in the city and neighboring provinces.
Since July 19, the hospital has admitted and treated some 1,000 Covid-19 patients with moderate and severe symptoms. As many as 342 patients have made a full recovery.
The hospital has mobilized 500 medical workers for Covid-19 treatment, the local media reported.
Hospitals in HCMC are treating over 40,970 Covid-19 patients, including some 2,800 patients put on a ventilator and 18 others relying on ECMO.
In another development, after the ministry allocated 161,460 Pfizer doses and 800,700 AstraZeneca doses to Hanoi, the capital city today decided to prioritize the administration of Pfizer doses for the elderly and people suffering from underlying illnesses.
With the allocated vaccine doses, Hanoi City also urged the healthcare centers of districts to map out plans for the new phase of vaccination.
The city has administered some three million doses of Covid-19 vaccines. Some 52% of adults in the city have got at least one shot.
