Medical students take samples from people in Bình Đông Market in HCM City's District 8 for COVID-19 testing. — VNA/VNS Photo

 HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam recorded a total of 450 COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, including 441 locally transmitted cases and nine imported patients, according to the Ministry of Health.

It brings the country's total caseload to 16,863.

HCM City topped the list of most infections with 249, followed by Bình Dương Province (81 cases), Phú Yên Province (27), Bắc Giang Province (13), Đồng Nai Province (12), Quảng Ngãi Province (10), Hưng Yên Province (9), Nghệ An Province (8), Bắc Ninh Province (8), Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province (6), Đồng Tháp Province (5), Bình Định Province (4), An Giang Province (4), Đà Nẵng City (2), Long An Province (1), Hải Phòng (1) and Bắc Kan (1).

Of the 441 local infections, 420 cases were detected in quarantined or locked-down areas.

A total of 76 COVID-19 patients were given the all-clear on Wednesday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 6,840.

As of Wednesday, 14 localities have gone 14 days without new community infections, namely Yên Bái, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên-Huế, Tuyên Quang, Sơn La, Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Thái Nguyên, Bạc Liêu, Điện Biên, Vĩnh Phúc, Hải Dương and Phú Thọ.

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed 81 lives in Việt Nam so far. — VNS