The number of cases since the fourth Covid-19 wave hit the country in late April amounted to 14,954, of whom 4,621 have been given the all-clear.

633 new cases over the last 24 hours

Vietnam logged 175 new cases, including five imported and 170 local infections, from 6 am to 12 pm on July 2. Among the new domestic infections, 151 were found in Ho Chi Minh City, 10 in Phu Yen, three in Hung Yen, two in Long An, and one each in Tra Vinh, Hai Phong, Bac Giang, and Bac Ninh. Of them, 143 were detected in quarantine and locked-down areas.

219 new Covid-19 cases, including nine imported and 210 local infections in the afternoon of July 2. Among the new domestic infections, 150 were found in Ho Chi Minh City, 20 in Phu Yen, 13 in Binh Duong, 10 in Quang Ngai, three each in Da Nang and Vinh Long, two each in Long An, An Giang, and Tay Ninh, and one each in Nghe An, Dong Thap, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, and Lam Dong.

239 new domestic Covid-19 cases over the last 12 hours to 6 am on July 3, Among them, 215 were found in Ho Chi Minh City, 11 in Phu Yen, 10 in Hung Yen, two in Bac Lieu, and one in Bac Ninh. A total of 206 cases were detected in quarantine or sealed-off areas.

Ministry receives 190,000 Covid-19 test kits from German states

The Ministry of Health on July 2 received 190,000 Covid-19 test kits worth some USD 500,000 donated by German states via the World University Service of Germany (WUS). The rapid antigen test kits are donated by the states of Hamburg, Bremen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Sachsen-Anhalt. The test kits will be distributed to provinces and cities facing complex pandemic developments to serve the fight against the pandemic, Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong said.

He also noted that in 2020, when the pandemic first broke out in Germany, the Vietnamese Government presented 100,000 face masks to its German counterpart. Besides, Vietnamese people in the European nation also donated 100,000 masks to German states while making face masks and offering free meals to medical establishments and rest homes in the country.

German Ambassador to Vietnam Guido Hildner said the test kits are part of Germany’s support presented via the WUS, which will call on the administrations of German states to make more donations to provide Vietnam with about 1 million rapid Covid-19 test kits in the coming time.

Vietnam expects to receive 8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines in July

Vietnam expects to receive 8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccinesin July, said Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long in a meeting of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Vaccination for 2021-2022 in Hanoi on July 2.

Earlier, in the Government’s regular meeting on July 1, Long said Vietnam is scheduled to receive 30 million doses of vaccines in the third quarter of 2021.

According to the minister, Vietnam received commitments to be provided with 105 million doses and is negotiating for an additional 45 million doses this year. The Ministry of Health is stepping up research and transfer of technology to produce vaccines at home; promoting negotiations with the US, Japan, Germany, Russia, and Cuba on the transfer of technology. It also asked domestic producers to accelerate clinical tests while ensuring compliance with regulations.

Vietnam aims for herd immunity in late 2021, early 2022

Vietnam’s roadmap for receiving vaccines can be affected due to a global shortage, with the vaccines likely to come in droves in the fourth quarter this year.

The country is sparing no effort to complete vaccinating its citizens in late 2021 or early 2022, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said at a meeting of the national steering committee for the 2021-2022 COVID-19 vaccination drive held on July 2. The minister said the goal is a huge requirement. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target for herd immunity by 2023, and that of other countries is within 2022 and in early 2023.

Earlier, in the Government’s regular meeting on July 1, Long said Vietnam is scheduled to receive 30 million doses of vaccines in the third quarter of 2021. According to the minister, Vietnam received commitments to be provided with 105 million doses and is negotiating for an additional 45 million doses this year.

University students make a cabin to transport Covid-19 patients

Students and lecturers at the University of Science and Technology under Da Nang University have created a mobile cabin to transport patients with Covid-19 in quarantine areas.

The cabin is equipped similarly to a negative pressure chamber with disinfectant spray equipment, oxygen tank, and warning lights. The device has wheels so people can move it easily by using an electric scooter or just pulling it.

The cabin is made within one month at the request of the Lien Chieu district Medical Centre, aiming to serve the transportation needs of patients suspected or infected with Covid-19 within the hospital. It was handed over to the center on July 1.

Le Van Sy, director of the center said that once it is put into use, the device will help facilitate the transportation of patients suspected of having Covid-19 from quarantine areas towards for clinical examination, as well as from the wards where they are detected to the concentrated quarantine areas. It helps prevent the spread of Covid-19 and cross-contamination during traveling.

The number of cases since the fourth Covid-19 wave hit the country in late April amounted to 14,954, of whom 4,621 have been given the all-clear. Thirteen provinces and cities have gone through 14 days without any new infections.

Among active patients undergoing treatment, 260 have tested negative for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once, 138 twice and 89 thrice. The number of deaths related to the disease was 84.

As of 4 pm on July 1, over 3.8 million vaccine doses had been administered in the nation.

Valerie Mai