Vietnam’s Ministry of Health recorded 12,096 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, its highest daily tally of infections since the pandemic began, bringing the cumulative total to 381,363.
According to MoH, the latest patients include three imported ones and 12,093 domestic infections in Ho Chi Minh City (5,294), Binh Duong (4,129), Dong Nai (618), Long An (460), Tien Giang (319), Da Nang (162), Khanh Hoa (150), Tay Ninh (119), Binh Thuan (106), Ha Noi (96), Nghe An (95), Dong Thap (93), Can Tho (90), Ba Ria – Vung Tau (75), An Giang (50), Dak Lak (40), Ca Mau (28), Phu Yen (27), Tra Vinh (24), Kien Giang (23), Binh Dinh (18), Ha Tinh (15), Quang Nam (9), Bac Lieu (7), Binh Phuoc (7), Ninh Thuan (6), Vinh Long (5), Dak Nong (5), Son La (4), Hau Giang (4), Soc Trang (4), Thanh Hoa (3), Bac Ninh (3), Thai Binh (2), Quang Ngai (2), and Quang Binh (1).
For the past 24 hours, 7,646 patients were cleared and able to recover from the coronavirus disease; the country now has 169,921 total recoveries.
MoH also confirmed 335 new fatalities. Vietnam’s death toll is now at 9,349.
US pledges 1 million Pfizer vaccine doses
Late evening on Tuesday, US Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Hanoi for a three-day (August 24-26) visit to Vietnam at the invitation of her Vietnamese counterpart Vo Thi Anh Xuan, marking the first trip to the country by a sitting US Vice President.
Her arrival was a few hours delayed, but the US VP brought with her some great news for Vietnam.
In an official statement from the US Office of the Vice President, VP Harris “reinforced the United States’ commitment to leading the world in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. She announced new COVID-19 vaccine donations to Vietnam, critical support for vaccine distribution, and the opening of a new regional CDC office to enhance health security cooperation.”
In addition to that, during the meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Wednesday noon, VP Harris said the US will give Vietnam one million additional Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses “that would start arriving in the next 24 hours.”
"I know the Vietnamese people are facing a difficult time right now," VP Harris noted.
So far, the US has already given Vietnam around five million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine through the Covax initiative. Vietnam is also among the top 10 recipients under a US program to share millions of vaccine doses to improve global vaccination rates.
VP Harris expressed that she highly appreciates Vietnam's efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic and reaffirmed her country will continue to support the fight against the virus.
MoH, Pfizer reach deal for 20 million doses
An announcement from Pfizer and BioNTech confirmed they have entered into an agreement with the Vietnamese health ministry in providing an additional 20 million doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
The newly signed amendment of the definitive supply agreement means the two companies are to supply Vietnam a total of 51 million vaccine doses, in addition to the previously contracted 31 million doses. Delivery to the country is expected within this year and the MoH will lead the distribution.
“These additional doses will help the Government of Vietnam ensure broad vaccine access for Vietnamese to advance our response against COVID-19,” Pfizer Vietnam said in a statement announcing the deal adding, “We continue to work in collaboration with the government authorities and remain committed to ensuring smooth delivery and deployment of our vaccine in the country’s immunization program.”