HCMC – The Ministry of Health this evening, March 16 reported 180,558 fresh Covid cases, with six of them imported and 180,552 locally infected in 62 cities and provinces, up 5,084 cases against yesterday.
Among the domestic cases, Hanoi City recorded the highest number at 26,220, followed by Nghe An with 10,797, Vinh Phuc with 8,875 and Phu Tho with 8,335. Other localities detected fewer than 6,000 infections each.
In addition, the health authorities of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa registered to add 56,827 cases and 30,155 infections, respectively, detected earlier to the national Covid case monitoring system.
The country’s Covid case count has reached over 6.8 million, with more than 3.5 million Covid patients having fully recovered from the disease.
The ministry also reported 62 new Covid fatalities in 30 cities and provinces, taking the Covid death toll to 41,607.
In related news, Binh Duong Province has temporarily stopped tallying the daily Covid caseload, but closely monitored the health of the high-risk group and critical Covid patients to reduce the death rate.
The decision was made as tallying the Covid caseload is deemed not suitable in the new normal, while many Covid patients have failed to inform the healthcare centers of their infection.
Over the past seven days, the number of Covid infections in the province has surged, but most of Covid patients developed no or mild symptoms, according to the Binh Duong Health Department.
In another development, the Ca Mau government has decided to allow asymptomatic Covid patients and direct contacts of Covid cases to voluntarily return to work during their quarantine period.
These workers are required to avoid direct contact with other people, the local media reported.
Firms and production facilities must get these workers tested twice a week and arrange a separate working area for them.
Long An Province had earlier allowed asymptomatic Covid patients and direct contacts of Covid cases to go to work in a voluntary manner.
