Provinces in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta have strengthened COVID-19 prevention measures as the number of locally-transmitted cases has increased in the region.

The Ministry of Health reported a total of 175 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including 11 imported cases.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has ordered HCM City to enhance COVID-19 measures, including offering more rapid COVID-19 tests and taking steps to prevent cross-infection in centralised quarantine areas as the more contagious Delta variant continues to spread in the city.

They will need to introduce proofs of vaccination, with the types of vaccines approved by World Health Organisation (WHO), US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), European Medicines Agency (EMA), or Vietnamese authorities.

With the severe fourth wave of infections underway since late April, the number of new cases keeping escalating and the disease has spread further in the country over the past week. 

More than 13,000 volunteers are expected to join the third phase human trial of COVID-19 vaccine Nano Covax – the most promising Vietnamese-made vaccine to date.