Vietnam single day Covid-19 tally lowest in two months

Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces that border Ho Chi Minh City accounted for most of the new infections, at 2,575 and 787, respectively, followed by the southern metropolis with 377.

However, in the past 24 hours, HCMC has detected 3,417 positive cases via rapid antigen tests as part of its mass screening campaign. These cases are yet to be added to the national database.

Since August 20, HCMC has detected around 150,000 cases via the rapid antigen test. The city is reviewing these cases before adding them to the national database to avoid overlaps.

"One person could have tested positive multiple times or some have had RT-PCR tests done and been added to the national list already," said Nguyen Thi Huynh Mai, spokeswoman of the municipal health department.

The health ministry also confirmed 178 new Covid fatalities Tuesday, including 131 in HCMC and 15 in Binh Duong.

The coronavirus death toll in Vietnam has gone up to 18,936, including 18,901 recorded within the fourth Covid-19 that hit the nation five months ago.

So far 766,111 fourth wave infections have been recorded nationwide, 554,762 of whom have recovered.

Over 40 million people have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot and almost 8.6 million have been fully vaccinated.