Photo: Zing News

Over 11,800 new Covid-19 cases recorded nationwide over past 24 hours

The Health Ministry confirmed the detection of a further 11,811 local Covid-19 cases on November 24, marking a rise of 663 infections from the previous day. Of the new cases, 22 were imported and quarantined upon arrival.

The three localities detecting the highest number of new cases were Ho Chi Minh City with 1,666 cases, Can Tho with 766 cases, and Tay Ninh with 754 cases. Hanoi recorded 274 positive cases, with several being detected among the community and in lockdown areas. Of the daily tally, 6,578 cases were found within the community.

The Health Ministry also confirmed a total of 25,951 recoveries on the same day.

Aircraft park at Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCMC, April 2020. (Photo: VnExpress)

Japanese airlines increase flights to HCMC as border restrictions lifted

After Japan relaxed entry restrictions for business travelers and technical interns since early November, Japanese airlines have increased flights between Tokyo and HCMC. ANA Holdings, the parent company of All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline, has increased the number of flights connecting Tokyo and Ho Chi Minh City to five per week since this month, up from three, Nikkei Asia reported. Before the Covid-19 outbreak, ANA covered the route with seven flights per week.

Japan Airlines also increased its number of flights between Narita International Airport and Tan Son Nhat International Airport to five per week, up from four. Currently, domestic carriers are still operating one-way flights from Vietnam to Japan, carrying passengers wishing to work, study or stay in the country.

With increasing vaccination rates, Vietnam reopened to foreign tourists and is eyeing the resumption of commercial flights to 15 countries and territories including Japan from January. Japan had 1.72 million foreign workers in October 2020, according to government data. Vietnamese account for the largest foreign worker population in Japan at around 440,000 people, or nearly 26 percent.

An additional 1 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the US arrived in Hanoi on November 18 (Photo: US Embassy)

Vietnam to receive 4.1 million Covid-19 vaccines from the US

The United States is sending a further four million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam, according to the White House in a statement released on November 23. International media outlet AFP quoted a senior administration official as saying that a total of 4,149,990 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are currently being sent to the country.

This comes off the back of another batch of one million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine that were donated by the US arriving in Hanoi on November 17, according to the US Embassy in Hanoi, said VNA.

Furthermore, more than 1.3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine supported by the US through the COVAX Facility were also delivered to the nation on November 6. The following day saw another 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine donated by the US and channeled through the COVAX Facility arrive in Ho Chi Minh City on November 7.

The US represents the nation’s largest donor of Covid-19 vaccines. In addition to donations, it also committed to providing the country with more than US$30.2 million to fight the pandemic through the training for thousands of medical workers, along with the provision of testing equipment, vaccine storage facilities, and machines used for the treatment of the virus.

Argentinean Ambassador to Vietnam Luis Pablo Maria Beltramino (third from left), along with representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology at the handover ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

Argentina donates 500,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Vietnam

A batch of 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine donated by the Argentinean Government arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on November 24 afternoon.

Argentinean Ambassador to Vietnam Luis Pablo Maria Beltramino attended the handover ceremony along with representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

Given complicated developments of the Covid-19 pandemic in Vietnam as well as in the world, Argentina's donation of vaccine is a profoundly significant gesture, reflecting the importance of the comprehensive partnership between the two countries, the traditional solidarity, and friendship, and the practical support of Argentina for Vietnam in its efforts to speed up vaccinations and put the pandemic under control soon.

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