The new infections brought the country's total number of infections since Covid-19 broke out in Vietnam in early 2020 to 449,489.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 30): Additional 12,663 Covid-19 Cases Logged

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 29): Daily Infections Surge By 12,103

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (August 28): Caseload Exceeds 410,000, 386 Deaths Reported

Photo: Zing News

Vietnam logs additional 14,224 Covid-19 cases

Vietnam recorded an additional 14,224 new Covid-19 infections, including five imported cases, in the past 24 hours to 5 pm on August 30, the Ministry of Health announced. Binh Duong province logged the highest number of infections at 6,050. It was followed by Ho Chi Minh City with 5,889, Long An 524, Dong Nai 491, Tien Giang 221, Khanh Hoa 126, and Hanoi 110.

Also on August 30, an additional 9,014 patients were given the all-clear from coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, raising the total number of recoveries to 228,816.

At the vaccine handover ceremony (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam receives over 250,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines from Czech Republic

The Ministry of Health on August 30 held a ceremony to receive 250,800 doses of AstraZeneca and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines granted for Vietnam by the Czech Republic Government. The vaccines arrived at the Noi Bai international airport on August 27.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lukas Musil, Deputy Head of Mission at the Czech Republic Embassy in Vietnam, said the vaccine support reflects the special ties fostered between the nations over many years. He highlighted the mutual support between the two countries, recalling the Vietnamese expat community's active support for the Czech Republic's response to the pandemic last year.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong emphasized that Vietnam highly appreciates the vaccine support from the Czech Republic, and pledged to ensure the timely distribution and suitable use of the vaccines.

Shippers listen to a health worker at a Covid-19 vaccination point in HCMC's District 11, August 2, 2021. (Photo: VnExpress)

Ho Chi Minh shippers to get free Covid tests

HCMC would test its shippers for Covid-19 every day for free, the municipal trade department said Monday. On Sunday, the municipal People's Committee allowed shippers to operate in Thu Duc and seven districts considered high-risk areas, Districts 8, 12, Go Vap, Binh Tan, Binh Thanh, and Hoc Mon, starting Monday. However, they must have received at least one shot of a Covid-19 vaccine and be quick-tested every afternoon.

In the other 14 districts, shippers who remain operational must also be tested every two days at mobile medical stations. Shippers are still restricted to only one district per time.

HCMC, the epicenter of Vietnam's fourth coronavirus wave, has recorded 209,921 local Covid-19 cases so far in the new outbreak. The southern city has been put under a series of social distancing orders, with an ongoing lockdown since Aug. 23 that banned people from going out. Food, medications, and other necessities are delivered to houses by local authorities instead.

A medic guides a woman in HCMC's Binh Thanh District to use a test kit on herself as part of a mass testing campaign, August 23, 2021. (Photo: VnExpress)

Indian ship brings Covid relief supplies to Vietnam

The Indian ship INS Airavat docked at a port in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City on August 30, bringing India’s medical supplies to Vietnam to assist with the Covid-19 fight. The ship has carried 100 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen and 300 oxygen concentrators on request from the Government of Vietnam in its fight against the ongoing Coivd-19 pandemic, according to the Press Information Bureau of the Indian Government.

INS Airavat, an indigenously built Landing Ship Tank (Large) under the Eastern Naval Command based at Visakhapatnam, is on a deployment to South East Asia for transshipment of Covid relief aid. The ship earlier docked at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia, on August 24, disembarking 10 liquid medical oxygen containers requested by the Government of Indonesia.

As part of the Government of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indian Navy has been proactively engaging with countries in the region and has been at the forefront of numerous humanitarian missions spanning the entire extent of the Indian Ocean including South/ South East Asia and East Africa.

A Covid-19 checkpoint in Tan An Town, southern Long An Province, on August 23, 2021. (Photo: VnExpress)

Six southern provinces extend social distancing until mid-September

Six southern provinces – Binh Duong, Long An, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh – will extend social distancing until mid-September.

Binh Duong announced that it was extending the social distancing regulations until September 15 as the number of Covid-19 infections continues to increase. The southern province is the second most affected locality after HCMC, with 110,258 cases recorded as of Monday.

After 43 days of social distancing, Long An will keep the semi-lockdown going till the end of September 13. The province's Kien Tuong Town as well as the districts of Tan Hung, Vinh Hung, Moc Hoa, Tan Thanh, Thanh Hoa and Duc Hue will have it until September 6.

Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces will continue to enforce social distancing until September 10, while Tay Ninh will extend it until September 12. Tien Giang's My Tho and Cai Lay towns as well as the districts of Cho Gao, Chau Thanh, Cai Be, Go Cong Dong, Cai Lay Town, and Go Cong Dong will keep the social distancing order in force until September 15.

The new infections brought the country's total number of infections since Covid-19 broke out in Vietnam in early 2020 to 449,489. Meanwhile, 315 fatalities related to the disease were reported on the same day, lifting the country’s death toll 11,064.

As many as 262,038 doses of vaccines were administered on August 29. The country has to date administered over 19.7 million doses of vaccines, with more than 2.52 million people having been fully vaccinated.

Valerie Mai