All the new cases are Vietnamese citizens who recently entered the country from abroad and were quarantined upon arrival.

The ministry also announced that 1,361 patients have been given the all-clear as of Tuesday. Nearly 17,600 people are being quarantined and monitored.

Last week, Vietnamese Prime Minister has ordered the suspension of flights carrying Vietnamese citizens home from countries and territories which have reported new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and seen complex pandemic developments, initially the UK and South Africa.

The two countries have seen two new variants of the coronavirus that are reportedly much more transmissible than others and have been responsible for surging infections, according to Vietnam News Agency.

The country has kept its borders closed since March last year to prevent the spread of the virus and only permitted a limited number of flights from overseas bringing in returning citizens, diplomats, foreign business executives and experts.

The Government leader made the instruction late on Tuesday as part of efforts to intensify COVID-19 prevention and control to ensure a safe Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which falls in the first half of February this year.