Medical workers take samples from residents for Covid-19 testing. The Ministry of Health this morning, August 6 confirmed 4,009 new domestic Covid-19 cases in 24 provinces and cities - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC - The Ministry of Health this morning, August 6, confirmed 4,009 new domestic Covid-19 cases in 24 provinces and cities, sending the country’s Covid-19 caseload since April 27 to 185,162.

HCMC accounted for over half of the new cases at 2,563, raising the city’s count in the current fourth wave of Covid-19 to 112,479.

Binh Duong Province came second with 322 infections, followed by Long An with 286, Tien Giang with 253 and Dong Nai with 207.

Danang, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, An Giang, Tra Vinh, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Kien Giang and Gia Lai detected 14 to 77 cases each, while the remaining 10 localities reported fewer than 10 infections.

Up to now, over 55,260 Covid-19 patients have made a full recovery during the ongoing fourth wave, which began in late April.

Over eight million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Vietnam, with over 7.2 million people receiving a first shot and more than 820,000 people receiving both doses.

In related news, the first shipment of Covid-19 antiviral Remdesivir with 50,000 vials, part of the total 500,000 vials set to be imported and presented to the Ministry of Health by local conglomerate Vingroup, arrived at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC on August 5.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son told VnExpress that the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment under the ministry would add Remdesivir to the Covid-19 treatment regimen today.

Some 100,000 more Remdesivir vials will be shipped to Vietnam this week, said Vingroup.

Remdesivir was approved for use in the treatment of Covid-19 patients by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2020. Remdesivir has been used by 50 countries, including the United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore and India.