13,197 new COVID-19 cases detected, death toll drops to 271

The Health Ministry on September 2 reported the detection of a further 13,197 positive COVID cases, with Ho Chi Minh City, the nation’s biggest coronavirus epicenter, recording the highest number of local infections at nearly 6,000.

The southern province of Binh Duong remained the second biggest hotspot behind HCM City with 4,504.

Several localities also recorded hundreds of local cases, including Dong Nai with 803 Long An with 583, Tien Giang with 290, Kien Giang with 122, and Dong Thap with 102.

Hanoi registered an additional 48 local infections, thereby raising the overall number of cases during the fourth wave of outbreaks which first emerged in late April to more than 3,600. This figure includes more than half recorded within the local community and the rest being detected in quarantine.

The capital has basically contained some COVID-19 outbreaks but it is still facing high risk of possible outbreaks as many F0 cases have yet to be detected among the community.

The new infections thereby bring the country's total number of infections since COVID-19 initially broke out in the country back in early 2020 to 486,727, ranking 55th among 222 countries and territories globally.

The overall number of recoveries also climbed to 259,324 following an additional 10,602 patients being discharged from hospital, while the death toll from COVID-19 rose to 12,138 after 271 deaths were confirmed on September 2.

The country has to date administered over 20.5 million vaccine doses, with more than 2.8 million people being fully vaccinated.

This comes a day after Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long issued a directive on intensifying COVID-19 prevention and control measures, particularly during the National Day holiday from September 2 to September 5 in order to minimise the risk of new outbreaks.

He requested that the various heads of health facilities ensure serious compliance with pandemic prevention measures and good co-ordination in transferring patients, particularly those with worsening conditions.

With regard to preventive health care, Minister Long called for strengthening supervision and early detection of suspected cases within the local community.

Large-scale testing, firstly in lockdown and in high-risk areas across localities under social distancing, as well as offering self-test guidance for people, have been asked to be boosted. Meanwhile, vaccination plans must be prepared to be launched in a timely and safe manner, he stressed.