Vietnam receives 2 million COVID-19 vaccines to fight worst outbreak

HANOI, July 10 (Reuters) – Vietnam has received 2 million doses of the Moderna (MRNA.O) COVID-19 vaccine donated by the US government, the US embassy in Hanoi said on Saturday as the Asian country Southeast is fighting its worst epidemic of the pandemic.

The shipment, delivered through the COVAX sharing facility, is among 80 million doses of vaccine President Joe Biden has committed from US vaccine supplies to meet global needs, the embassy said in a statement. sent by email.

After successfully containing the disease for much of the pandemic, Vietnam has faced a more stubborn outbreak since late April, with daily infections rising to record levels, adding to pressure on the government to speed up inoculations .

The health ministry on Saturday reported 1,853 new infections, the sixth consecutive day of more than 1,000 cases, and surpassing Friday’s record of 1,625. Vietnam recorded 27,863 total infections and 112 deaths, figures again low compared to some European countries, India and the United States.

Most of the new cases in Vietnam center in Ho Chi Minh City, which introduced broad movement restrictions on Friday, as well as other cities.

Half of the doses arrived on Saturday – the country’s first Moderna injections – will be delivered to the 9 million inhabitants of Ho Chi Minh City, official media announced on Saturday.

Vietnam has received around 8 million doses of the vaccine so far, mostly through the international COVAX sharing facility. Over 4 million doses have been administered, but only about 258,000 people have been fully immunized out of a population of 98 million.

The Ministry of Health announced on Friday its intention to vaccinate 50% of people aged 18 and over by the end of the year and 70% by the end of March 2022. read more

Reporting by James Pearson; Editing by Tom Hogue and Pravin Char

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