16,378 new COVID-19 cases detected, over 51,740 recover from COVID-19
The Health Ministry reported the detection of a further 16,378 positive COVID-19 cases on January 15, with Hanoi continuing to record the highest number of local infections at 2,810.
Elsewhere, the other localities recording a high number of fresh cases include Da Nang with 874, Hai Phong with 814, and Khanh Hoa with 654.
The latest infections thereby bring the country's total number of cases since COVID-19 initially broke out in the country back in early 2020 to 2,007,862, ranking 28th among 224 countries and territories globally.
The nation also recorded 139 COVID-19 fatalities on January 15, thereby increasing the country's death toll to 35,480 and accounting for 1.8% of confirmed cases.
The overall number of recoveries also rose to 1,717,964 following an additional 51,744 patients being discharged from hospital.
By January 14, the country had injected over 166.94 million vaccine doses, with more than 78.56 million people now fully inoculated, while over 16.2 million third shots have been administered.
According to Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, Vietnam is in the process of exercising caution in consideration of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged five to 11.
The Ministry of Health has submitted a tentative inoculation plan to the Government which it is awaiting approval for, however, Minister Long stressed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not yet issued an official guidance for vaccinations for children aged five to 11.
“Therefore, the Ministry of Health works very carefully, scientifically and objectively on the basis of reference to inoculation programmes of all countries,” the Minister said, adding that the Ministry was working in close co-ordination with the WHO on the matter.
