Vietnam News Today (Aug. 23): Covid-19 Infections Increase Again as Serious Cases Recorded

Photo: VOV

Covid-19 infections increase again as serious cases recorded

There has been a growing number of Covid-19 cases in the country recorded in August, with many severe cases and unvaccinated deaths accounting for up to 25% of the total infections, according to Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son.

Over the past month, there have been more than 45,000 new cases recorded nationwide, with an average of over 1,500 cases recorded daily. Indeed, a total of 3,000 cases were documented on August 18 alone.

Deputy Minister Son has therefore asked localities to ensure on-time vaccination of the elderly with underlying diseases in order to ensure fully vaccine efficacy for the local population.

With the emergence of new strains, the Deputy Minister suggested that hospitals co-ordinate with the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the Pasteur Institute in order to monitor the new variations and mutations in severe cases and deaths. He also asked localities to re-evaluate human resources, equipment, and chemical materials in a bid to respond promptly to every possible situation.

According to an assessment conducted by the Ministry of Health, the vaccination progress against Covid-19 in some localities has yet to meet the set requirements, especially regarding the third and fourth jabs and injections for children from five to 12 years old.

Regarding the third injection, so far, the country has reached 75.2% of the total population, although the injection rate in some localities is very low and has not yet reached 50%, cited VOV.

For the fourth injection, by the end of August 20 the rate stood at 68.3%, although in some localities the injection rate reached roughly 66% of the national rate.

With regard to vaccinations for children from five to 12 years old, after more than four months of vaccinations taking place against Covid-19, the national average rate of first doses is 80.1% and the second is 50.5%.

Many provinces and cities have been slow-paced in vaccination of both doses, with figures much lower than the national average.

According to details given by the Ministry of Health, the Covid-19 pandemic is seeing a sharp increase in terms of the number of infections both domestically and internationally. This comes as the nation has recorded the appearance of new sub-variants of the Omicron (BA.4, BA.5, BA.2.74, BA.2.12.1) which typically spread rapidly.

Recently, the whole country reported an average of over 2,000 new cases per day, indicating that the number of cases is on the rise again, with nearly 18,000 new cases recorded last week.

Facing this situation, the Ministry of Health has urged localities to continue accelerating vaccination efforts against Covid-19 according to the goals set by the Government and the Prime Minister, thereby ensuring safety, science, and effectiveness.

The Ministry also requested that localities continue to closely monitor the pandemic situation, especially the appearance of new variants in order to proactively outline scenarios and plans to respond to all possible pandemic situations.

Third storm imminent to Bien Dong Sea: forecasting center

The Bien Dong Sea is likely to record the third storm this year after a tropical depression in the east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island strengthens and moves in the next one or two days, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The center said the depression exists in the east of Luzon Island on August 22, and there is a 70 - 80% chance that it will intensify into a storm in the next 24 hours, according to VNA.

A satellite image of the tropical depression in the east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island. Photo: National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting

The storm is likely to enter the northeastern area of the Bien Dong Sea in around August 23 night and August 24 to become the third storm in the waters this year.

From around August 23 evening, its circulation will trigger downpours, fierce winds, and strong waves in the eastern part of the northern and central Bien Dong Sea, the center predicted.

Facing this, the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control on August 22 sent a document to coastal localities from Quang Ninh in the north to Quang Ngai in the central region, asking them to keep a close watch on storm forecasts to notify captains and owners of vessels working at sea.

They were also requested to make appropriate production plans to ensure human and property safety, maintain contact to deal with any circumstances in a timely manner, seriously stay on duty, and frequently submit reports to the Standing Office and the Office of the National Committee for Natural Disaster Response, and Search and Rescue.

Vietnam, RoK push for stronger economic cooperation

The nation is currently the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s third largest trading partner, while the RoK has developed into the largest direct investor in country.

The Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) is poised to organise an international seminar on RoK-Vietnam economic co-operation to mark the occasion of the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations between both sides.

According to economist Kawk Sung-il, director of the Center Security Strategy at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, the primary goal of the seminar is to hold in-depth discussions on issues related to bilateral co-operation. He added that relations between the two nations have developed strongly over the past three decades and have recorded a number of great achievements, especially in the field of economics.

However, in order for this relationship to continue to develop in a sustainable manner moving forward, more exchanges and discussions on co-operation methods are needed.

For this reason, scholars from the two nations’ have co-ordinated efforts to conduct diverse in-depth studies across multiple fields as a means of creating a foundation for them to be published at the upcoming seminar.

Economic co-operation is therefore an important achievement and a bright spot in bilateral ties. In line with this, bilateral trade turnover stood at only US$490 million, equivalent to 0.3% of the RoK's total trade turnover since the establishment of diplomatic ties back in 1992. However, after 28 years this figure so far accounts for 7% of the total trade turnover of the East Asian nation.

Vietnam-RoK cooperation should focus on technology transfer: Korean scholar. Photo: VGP

The Korean community residing in Vietnam run a diverse range of economic activities. Although investment in the Vietnamese market has decreased due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, many Korean companies continue to view the nation as the most promising country among the 10 ASEAN member states.

This unevenness in terms of the trade balance is one of the main limitations in bilateral economic co-operation, particularly as the trade turnover between the two countries is increasing and the general scale of the trade imbalance is also in the process of gradually expanding.

The main reason behind this is that most Korean exports to the Vietnamese market are intermediate goods, semi-finished products, which can be understood as a result of the Korean direct investment in the country.

There are an array of opinions that could contribute to increasing Vietnamese agricultural exports to the RoK, thereby helping to solve the trade imbalance, although this would only be a short-term remedy. Agricultural and aquatic exports would only be able to make Vietnam a low value-added exporter. Instead, it is more important to attract greater investment from the RoK in order to create an environment where Vietnamese companies can become more deeply involved in the Korean production network.

Through this process, in the event that a strong supply chain between the two countries can be formed, the bilateral mutual relationship can be promoted more sustainably, Sung-il went on to say.

The Korean expert said assessed that the Vietnamese side needs to promote its production capacity and technology to participate more deeply in the supply chain. In fact, when a Korean corporation or company invests in the Vietnamese market, then they become a legal entity of the country.

However, due to Korean companies often investing in the nation in the form of 100% FDI, technology transfer also faces plenty of difficulties, reported VOV.

Sung-il stated that when analysing Vietnamese export value, it can be seen that the proportion of domestic value added remains low.

This means that the majority of the production of components and spare parts are located abroad, with the product localisation rate remaining low. By the end of 2017, only 600 out of a total of 26,700 FDI projects in the country had technology transfer contracts.

In comparison to neighbouringASEAN member states such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, the proportion of added value in Vietnamese products can be considered low.

As a result of this, Vietnamese companies must pay close attention to developing their own technology in parallel with international co-operation. Therefore, efforts to boost transfer technology through co-operation with foreign companies that have already penetrated the domestic market will prove to be effective.

In addition, it can be considered necessary to devise policies which encourage and protect Korean companies, thereby ensuring that they are able to see the parallel benefits in technology transfer, he added.

Vietnam enters semi-finals of “Tank Biathlon” event at Army Games 2022

The Vietnamese tank team has officially entered the semi-finals of the “Tank Biathlon” event at the ongoing 2022 International Army Games in Moscow after being listed as one of the eight best team in the competition on August 21.

Meanwhile, the “Army of Culture” team temporarily ranked second after Russia in total points.

The “Tactical Gunner” and “Meridian” teams ranked fourth and fifth at their events, cited VNA.

Vietnam enters semi-finals of “Tank Biathlon” event at Army Games 2022. Photo: VNA

On the same day, the “Army of Culture” team of Vietnam joined others from 12 countries in a performance for the online vote at the Patriot Convention and Exhibition Centre on the outskirts of Moscow.

Previously, the team collaborated with the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia and the Vietnamese Association in Russia to organise an art program called "Giai dieu to quoc” (Motherland Melody) to serve the Vietnamese expats living, working and studying in the country.

ASEAN Day 2022 held in Washington D.C.

The ASEAN Family Day 2022 has been organised in Washington D.C., drawing the participation of nearly 200 ASEAN embassy members and their families, as well as representatives from the US Department of State.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung and his spouse also joined the event which is part of the activities to celebrate the 55th founding anniversary of ASEAN.

At the event. Photo: VOV

Addressing the opening of the event on August 20, the Cambodian Ambassador to the US Keo Chhea affirmed ASEAN's central role in the region and the desire of the bloc’s member countries to promote solidarity and strengthen cooperative relations with partners, reported VNA.

He also expressed his wish that the ASEAN Family Day is an opportunity for members of the ASEAN embassies to exchange friendship and enhance mutual understanding.

ASEAN Family Day is an annual event in Washington D.C., that aims to strengthen unity and solidarity and promotes cooperation between ASEAN and external partners, particularly ASEAN – US partnership.

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