Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (October 2): 6,957 New Infections And Over 27,500 Recoveries

Photo: VOV

6,957 new Covid-19 infections and over 27,500 recoveries

The country recorded an additional 6,957 Covid-19 infections on October 1 across 37 localities nationwide, a drop of 996 cases compared to the previous day, according to figures released by the Ministry of Health.

Ho Chi Minh City, currently the country’s largest pandemic hotspot, reported the highest number of infections with 3,670 cases, trailed by neighboring Binh Duong province with 1,787, Dong Nai with 735, An Giang with 116, and Long An with 112.

Hanoi capital reported eight new community cases, including those linked to a fresh outbreak detected at the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital.

Photo: VietnamPlus

Vietnam to spend US$ 32 mln on 5 mln Abdala vaccine doses

Over VND742 billion (US$ 32.63 million) from Vietnam’s Covid-19 vaccine fund will be used to buy and transport five million Cuban Abdala Covid-19 vaccine doses. As decided by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Thursday, the management, use, payment, and settlement of the sum must comply with regulations, serve the right purposes and ensure that the sum is spent economically, efficiently, openly, and transparently.

The government on Sept. 20 agreed to use the provision of "choosing contractors in special cases" to purchase 10 million Abdala vaccine doses from Cuba. In a resolution issued Monday on buying Cuba's Abdala vaccine, produced by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), the government said the doses would be procured by a contractor chosen in line with the "special cases" regulation.

The vaccine employs a traditional approach by using a part of the spike protein, which the virus uses to bind to human cells, to build up the immune reaction. Cuba approved emergency use of the Abdala vaccine on July 9 after manufacturers announced it was more than 92 percent effective with three doses.

Photo: MOF

Vietnam to prioritize October vaccine batches for southern localities

Distribution priority for the 54 million Covid-19 vaccine doses set to arrive this month will be given to southern localities, deputy health minister Do Xuan Tuyen said Thursday.

With the October batch, the nation would have received around 110 million Covid-19 vaccine doses in total, Tuyen said. He said 12 southern Vietnam localities – Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Can Tho, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Hau Giang, Dong Thap, An Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, and Vinh Long – are close to bringing the pandemic under control, but there are still risks of new outbreaks.

Around 2.7 million people in these localities have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot and around 690,000 people have been fully vaccinated, Tuyen said. Vietnam has vaccinated around 32.7 million people with at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose. Around 9.5 million people have been fully vaccinated.

Photo: VOV

Localities welcome back vaccinated tourists after Covid restrictions relaxed

With the pandemic situation under control, some localities have reopened tourism activities for mainly intra-provincial, vaccinated tourists. Ho Chi Minh City reopened hotels, resorts, and tourist destinations from Friday but at only 50 percent of their capacities while each has to meet Health Ministry criteria for Covid-19 prevention and control.

Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province allowed restaurants and food services to reopen from Friday but only serve intra-provincial, vaccinated customers as part of its economic recovery roadmap. People in Khanh Hoa who got at least one dose of a Covid vaccine or those who have contracted and recovered from the disease are allowed to travel within the province without furnishing travel papers and negative Covid certificates.

Quang Binh Province also welcomed back vaccinated travelers from Friday to join package tours with pandemic prevention measures in place as part of its tourism recovery plan. Da Nang City already allowed hotels, resorts and accommodation facilities to resume operation from Thursday but only serve vaccinated tourists or those having contracted and recovered from the disease.

Northern port city Hai Phong, home to UNESCO-recognized Cat Ba National Park and Lan Ha Bay, reopened intra-provincial tourism from Friday. Some resorts in Sa Pa and Hoa Binh in northern Vietnam received the greenlight to welcome back tourists from ‘green zones’ with low Covid risks, though they must furnish a negative Covid certificate obtained within 48 hours before arrival.

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