Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 22): Daily Caseload Hits New Record of Over 11.300
	Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 21): 10,657 New Cases Recorded
	Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 20): Pagodas Urged to Move Vu Lan Festival Online

A medical staff takes samples of residents to test for Covid-19 in HCMC's Binh Thanh District on August 23, 2021. (Photo: VnExpress)

Vietnam logs addtional 12,096 Covid-19 cases

Vietnam recorded 12,096 new Covid-19 cases, including 12,093 domestic and three imported, from 6 pm on August 24 to 6 pm on August 25, the Ministry of Health announced.

Ho Chi Minh City, which is the current largest pandemic of the country, logged the highest number of cases with 5,294 infections. It was followed by Binh Duong, with 4,129 infections. The remainders were detected in Dong Nai (618), Long An (460), Tien Giang (319), Da Nang (162), Khanh Hoa (150), Tay Ninh (119), Binh Thuan (106), Hanoi (96), Nghe An (95), Dong Thap (93), Can Tho (90), Ba Ria-Vung Tau (75), and An Giang (50), among other localities.

Also on August 25, 7,646 patients were given the all-clear from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 169,921.

David Duong, president of California Waste Solutions (CWS) and CEO of Vietnam Waste Solutions (VWS) has handed over 250 ventilators to Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

Oversea Vietnamese in US donates 250 ventilators to homeland

David Duong, president of California Waste Solutions (CWS) and CEO of Vietnam Waste Solutions (VWS) has handed over 250 ventilators to the Consulate General of Vietnam in San Francisco to aid anti-pandemic efforts in the homeland.

When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in Vietnam, in response to the call of the Vietnamese government, his company has made contributions by donating cash. However, Duong said, this time, he decided to buy ventilators because there is a shortage of medical equipment, especially ventilators, when too many people are hospitalized. With the help of the Consulate General of Vietnam and Vietnam Airlines, ventilators were transported to Vietnam within two days, he said.

Besides donating 250 ventilators to Vietnam, he is traveling to many states in the US, meeting with state and federal government officials to advocate for Vietnam to receive more vaccine aid from the US through COVAX Facility. In the near future, he plans to call for contributions from Vietnamese communities and businesses in the US as well as members of the Vietnamese American Business Association to present 1,000 ventilators to Vietnam.

Vietnamese citizens wait to board a repatriation flight from San Francisco to Hanoi, August 24, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Vietnam Airlines)

277 stranded Vietnamese repatriated from US

A special flight arranged by the government brought home 277 Vietnamese citizens stranded in the U.S. amid Covid travel restrictions. The Vietnam Airlines flight from San Francisco landed at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Wednesday morning, with all passengers quarantined on arrival and having their samples taken for Covid testing as per the Health Ministry protocol, the carrier said in a statement.

The flight also transported more than 6.2 tons of medical equipment and supplies provided by overseas Vietnamese in the U.S. to compatriots in Vietnam, currently struggling with its most challenging outbreak. This is the second direct flight this year between Vietnam and the U.S. after the airline was licensed by the American government to operate 12 flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home.

Last year, it conducted 20 flights between Vietnam and the U.S. to serve Vietnamese citizens and U.S. experts, and to transport goods. Dozens of flights were also operated to ferry American citizens stuck in Vietnam home.

Health workers collect samples for Covid-19 testing in Hanoi's Thanh Xuan District, August 25, 2021. (Photo: VnExpress)

World Bank, Japan support strengthening pandemic preparedness in Vietnam

The World Bank and the Institute for Social Development Studies have signed an agreement for a US$2.75 million grant provided by the Japan Social Development Fund for the “Strengthening preparedness and response to Covid-19 at the grassroots level in Vietnam” Project.

The project aims to strengthen preparedness and response capacities for pandemics and other health emergencies at the community level in three proposed provinces namely Vinh Phuc, Khanh Hoa, and Long An. It is estimated that 270,000 people will benefit from the project’s interventions with at least 3,500 people from vulnerable groups.

The project will focus on strengthening the capacities of commune health stations with the provision of equipment and skills. It will help health workers get better at early detection of suspected cases and conduct an epidemiological investigation while minimizing cross-infection within the health facilities. It will also help ensure the continuity of essential health care services provided during the pandemic.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 25): More Than 10,800 Cases Added Since the fourth pandemic wave hit the country on April 27, Vietnam has counted 365,152 cases. Of which, 159,501 recovered.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 24): Additional 10,280 New Infections The new cases brought the country’s total count to 358,456, ranking 66th out of 222 countries and territories across the world.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 23): HCMC Approves New US$113 Million Relief Package Vietnam has so far documented 348,059 Covid-19 cases, ranking 68th out of 222 countries and territories.