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Covid-19: Daily new infections, deaths all fall nationwide

The numbers of new coronavirus infections and deaths have dropped in Vietnam during the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH). Official data from the MoH show an additional 14,978 Covid-19 cases were recorded in 62 cities and provinces across the country, a fall of 724 cases compared to the previous day.

Of the total, 10,324 cases were diagnosed in the community, 44 tested positive upon returning from overseas, and the remainder were documented in the lockdown or quarantine areas. Hanoi capital continued to top localities, registering 2,967 new cases, followed by Da Nang (984), Hai Phong (764), Hung Yen (629), Thanh Hoa (489), Quang Nam (435), and Quang Ninh (427).

The MoH also reported an additional 4,157 cases recovered from the disease, and 123 more patients died of Covid-19 and underlying illnesses. The previous day saw 153 deaths registered in various localities.

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Health ministry calls for facilitation of people’s return to hometowns

The Ministry of Health has asked provinces and cities nationwide to create favorable conditions for people to return to their hometowns to welcome the Lunar New Year (Tet), citing the large coverage of Covid-19 vaccination. The ministry made the request in a document sent to the People’s Committees of provincial-level localities on January 22.

It noted that 100 percent of the people aged 18 and above have received at least one shot of Covid-19 vaccines, 95.6 percent the second, and 18.6 percent the third. Meanwhile, 94.1 percent of the children aged 12 - 17 have been given at least one dose, and 82.2 percent the second dose.

The ministry also requested localities to increase monitoring and promptly detect suspected cases in the community so as to take timely action to curb the spread. By the end of January 21, a total of 174,965,411 doses of Covid-19 vaccines were administered in the country, including 78,843,924 being the first dose, 73,764,594 the second, and 22,356,893 the third.

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Ministries told to consider reopening Hanoi cinemas ahead Tet

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism must work with the Ministry of Health and concerned organizations to consider the reopening of cinema theatres nationwide, with the Covid-19 situation taken into account, according to a notice newly released by the Government’s Office. The notice announces Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s feedback on a petition sent by several cinema operators in Hanoi asking for permission to resume their businesses ahead of Tet, the Vietnamese traditional Lunar New Year since the country has entered the “new normal” phase.

The petition emphasized that people have high demands for entertainment and cultural activities during the Tet holiday, while many Vietnamese films are slated to debut on this occasion after nearly two years of delays.

Hanoi is one of the most important markets that occupies a lion’s share of revenues in the film industry in Vietnam, it noted. To carry out the dual goals of pandemic control and socio-economic development, the operators asked for a pilot reopening of theatres, with disease prevention measures stringently in place. They also hope this will enable Vietnamese films to reach a wide audience during the upcoming holiday and to create a chance for filmmakers and businesses in the industry to recover financially to continue to survive and grow.

Cinema theatres in Hanoi have been closed since May last year, when the fourth wave of infections surged, but have been allowed to reopen in HCM City, the former epicenter of this wave, since late November when the outbreak subsided. At the moment, Hanoi is leading the country in the new daily Covid-19 caseload.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (Jan. 23): 15,707 New Cases, 153 Deaths Recorded As of 6 pm on January 22, Vietnam has detected 2,126,444 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, ranking 28th out of 224 countries ...

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (Jan. 22): Daily Count Falls to Nearly 16,000 As of 06 pm on January 21, Vietnam has detected 2,110,737 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, ranking 28th out of 224 countries ...

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (Jan. 20): Nearly 16,000 New Infections Recorded Vietnam has so far detected 108 Omicron cases returning from overseas in 10 localities, including 68 cases in Ho Chi Minh City and 27 cases ...