COVID-19: 593 more cases detected overnight

Among the new infections, five were imported. Up
to 520 cases were recorded in Ho Chi Minh City, while the remainders were found
in Dong Nai (18), Khanh Hoa (15), Ba Ria-Vung Tau (11), An Giang (10), Phu Yen
(8), Binh Phuoc (4), Ben Tre, Hanoi and Thanh Hoa (two each) and Tay Ninh (1).

The ministry’s Medical Examination and Treatment Department said 8,984
patients have recovered, and the national COVID-19 death toll rose to 110.

Among active patients, 333 have tested negative
to the coronavirus once, 203 twice, and 80 thrice.

Another 35,914 people were vaccinated on July 9.
As of 4:00pm on July 9, a total 4,010,786 vaccine doses had been administered.
A total of 258,274 people have received full two shots.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long has signed
off a plan for implementing the national COVID-19 vaccination drive from now to
April 2022.

The plan, taking effect on July 8, will be updated
based on real-time pandemic developments and the vaccine supply, and it will
serve as the basis for agencies and localities to make and carry out their
inoculation plans.

The list of groups given priority in
has been expanded in the largest-ever immunisation campaign of
Vietnam.

The country looks to have about 70 percent of
the population inoculated to achieve herd immunity by late 2021 or early 2022.

To that end, it is necessary to engage various
forces in the drive such as healthcare, military, and public security forces
and to conduct vaccination simultaneously at vaccination establishments, both
public and private ones, nationwide, the ministry said.

It targets that at least 50 percent of people aged
18 and above will be vaccinated against COVID-19 in 2021, and more than 70
percent of the population will get the shots by the end of the first quarter
next year./.