HCMC – Vietnam’s Covid-19 tally has risen to 60,180 after the Ministry of Health confirmed 2,155 new Covid-19 cases this morning, July 20, with HCMC continuing reporting the most cases, at 1,519.
There was only one imported case while 2,154 were domestic infections, including 251 cases whose sources of infection remain unknown.
Besides the 1,519 cases in HCMC, 156 others were confirmed in Binh Duong, 133 in Tien Giang and 80 in Dong Nai.
In addition, Vinh Long had 43 cases, followed by Khanh Hoa with 38, Ben Tre with 34, Danang with 32, Ba Ria-Vung Tau with 26 and Can Tho with 22.
The remaining cases were reported in 14 other cities and provinces, with their new cases ranging from two to 12 each.
As of this morning, Vietnam has had 58,100 locally-infected cases and 2,080 imported cases. Since April 27, the country has confirmed 56,530 domestic cases in 58 provinces and cities, with 8,273 patients having made a full recovery.
In HCMC alone, its Covid-19 caseload has reached 35,984.
The Ministry of Health has also informed that an additional three million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine donated by the United States through the Covax Facility would arrive in Vietnam this week. Thus, within two weeks, the United States has presented Vietnam five million Covid-19 vaccine doses.
The ministry has concluded two deals on the transfer of the Covid-19 vaccine production technology with Russia and the United States.
In addition, Pfizer has agreed to provide Vietnam with some 3.5 million vaccine doses this quarter instead of three million doses as committed earlier. The U.S. drugmaker has also pledged to sell an additional 20 million doses to Vietnam this year, raising the total volume of vaccine that it would sell to Vietnam to 51 million doses.
On July 19, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son signed a document providing HCMC with equipment serving the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, including ventilators, 10 high-flow nasal cannula systems and two extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines, among others.
On the same day, 800 ventilators were transported from Hanoi to HCMC on two flights. Moreover, more than 6.2 tons of ventilators and other medical equipment were handed over to the city.
In related news, Thu Duc City has decided to put its Tam Phu Ward with a total of 30,400 residents on lockdown starting from 12 p.m. today, July 20. This is the 12th ward in Thu Duc City to be locked down to stop the spread of Covid-19.