Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed 14,224 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the cumulative total to 449,489.
According to MoH, the latest patients include five imported ones and 14,219 domestic infections in Binh Duong (6,050), Ho Chi Minh City (5,889), Long An (524), Dong Nai (491), Tien Giang (221), Khanh Hoa (126), Ha Noi (110), An Giang (90), Kien Giang (73), Nghe An (68), Tay Ninh (56), Da Nang (54), Binh Thuan (46), Thua Thien-Hue (40), Dong Thap (37), Can Tho (36), Tra Vinh (36), Ba Ria-Vung Tau (33), Quang Binh (30), Quang Ngai (30), Dak Lak (24), Binh Dinh (20), Soc Trang (19), Thanh Hoa (18), Binh Phuoc (15), Phu Yen (14), Ben Tre (11). Quang Nam (10), Vinh Long (7), Ninh Thuan (7), Quang Tri (6), Dak Nong (5), Ha Tinh (4), Hau Giang (4), Lam Dong (3), Bac Lieu (3), Son La (2), Kon Tum (2), Hung Yen (2), Bac Ninh (2), and Ca Mau (1).
For the past 24 hours, 9,014 patients were cleared and able to recover from the coronavirus disease; the country now has 169,921 total recoveries.
MoH also confirmed 315 new fatalities. Vietnam’s death toll is now at 11,064. These new deaths were recorded from Ho Chi Minh City (245), Binh Duong (39), Tien Giang (7), Long An (6), Dong Nai (4), Dong Thap (3), Khanh Hoa (2), Da Nang (1), Ha Noi (1), An Giang (1), Ben Tre (1), Binh Dinh (1), Binh Thuan (1), Long An (1), Thua Thien-Hue (1), and Vinh Long (1).
Gov’t approves to cut power bills
The initial proposal from the Ministry of Trade and Industry to cut electricity bills for certain types of enterprises has been approved by the Government.
The beneficiaries include:
Enterprises specializing in processing and preservation of aquatic products;
Enterprises operating in processing and preservation of vegetables and fruits;
Enterprises producing exports with last year’s export turnover of more than US$1 billion each.
The said proposal states that eligible customers shall be entitled to a 10% discount on their electricity bills (exclusive of value-added tax) for September, October, and November this year.
The Government estimated that the total reduction would be worth VND 650 billion or nearly US$29,000.
On July 31, the Government issued Resolution No. 83/NQ-CP to apply a 15% reduction on electricity prices for households that have electricity consumption of up to 200kWh per month. Additionally, households with electricity consumption of more than 200kWh per month shall receive a 10% discount.
The reductions shall be applicable to power bills in August and September.
On a more positive note, the municipal trade department confirmed on Monday that shippers in HCMC will be tested for COVID-19 every day for free. The news came after Ho Chi Minh City authorities announced that it would allow shippers to operate again high-risk areas, including Thu Duc City, Binh Thanh, and Go Vap.
Officials said shippers will be mandated to receive at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine and be tested for the coronavirus every afternoon. Shippers operating in other districts must also be tested every two days.
HCMC will be setting up more than 400 medical stations across the city to help shippers gain access to quick COVID-19 tests.