HCMC - The Ministry of Health this morning, August 8, reported 4,941 new Covid-19 cases, including four imported cases and 4,937 domestic infections in 23 localities, sending the country’s Covid-19 caseload to 205,656.

The country’s Covid-19 tally in the current wave, which began on April 27, also exceeded 200,000, reaching 201,743, including 63,863 recoveries.

This morning, 1,274 cases were found to be infectious while in the community.

Of the new cases, 1,896 cases were detected in HCMC, 1,477 in Binh Duong, 724 in Long An, 390 in Dong Nai and 94 in Soc Trang.

In addition, the Ministry of Health reported 63 other cases in Hanoi, 62 in Danang, 57 in Vinh Long, 48 in Dong Thap and 23 in Ninh Thuan. The rest were found in 13 other provinces.

The new cases sent HCMC’s Covid-19 caseload to 119,802.

This morning, the treatment subcommittee under the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control reported 234 Covid-19 deaths, which were recorded from August 6 to 7 in 13 localities. Specifically, 185 cases were in HCMC, seven each in Can Tho, Ben Tre and Vinh Long, five each in Dong Nai, Khanh Hoa, Tay Ninh and Tien Giang, three in Binh Thuan, two in Soc Trang, and one each in Binh Duong, Hau Giang and Tra Vinh.

Thus, the country has had 3,250 Covid-19 fatalities.

In HCMC, three more intensive care units (ICUs) with a capacity of 500 beds each were put into operation on August 7. Medical workers for these units are from three central-level hospitals, including the Vietnam-Germany Friendship and Bach Mai hospitals in Hanoi and the Hue Central Hospital in Thua Thien Hue Province.

The ICU under the management of Bach Mai Hospital is located at the field hospital No. 16 in HCMC’s District 7 and the ICU under the Hue Central Hospital is in Tan Phu District.

Meanwhile, the unit of the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital is developed in the field hospital No. 13 in Binh Chanh District.

In related news, Vice President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis has announced a donation of medical equipment worth five million francs (US$5.46 million) to support Vietnam's Covid-19 fight.

During a meeting with Vietnamese Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan on August 5, Cassis said Switzerland would provide Vietnam with 500,000 test kits, 300,000 face masks and 30 ventilators.

He praised Vietnam's efforts in the fight against Covid-19 and shared the country’s difficulties during the pandemic period.

For her part, Xuan thanked Switzerland for its promptly support and suggested it help Vietnam access Covid-19 vaccine sources and continue supplying the country with medical equipment to fight the pandemic effectively.