A medical worker takes a sample from a resident in Bà Triệu Street in Hà Nội's Hai Bà Trưng District on Thursday after new cases of COVID-19 detected in the area. —VNA/VNS Photo Thành Đạt

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam recorded 9,667 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday and a further 326 people have died of coronavirus complications.

The new cases take the total number of infections to 246,568 and the total number of deaths to 4,813.

Of the latest transmissions, just 14 were imported, and the rest discovered either in the community or already in locked down or quarantine zones.

HCM City - Việt Nam's current largest COVID-19 hotspot - recorded 3,841 cases, followed by neighbouring provinces of Bình Dương (3,028), Đồng Nai (1,071), and Long An (354). 

The capital city of Hà Nội reported 78 new infections.

But it wasn’t all bad news. The Ministry of Health said 3,991 people have been given the all-clear, bringing the total number of fully recovered patients to 89,145.

Among patients being treated, 499 are being cared for in ICU, while 21 are using machines to help them breathe.

Việt Nam has so far administered 12,098,821doses of COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 1,092,700 people have received both shots. — VNS