Vietnam detects first cases of Omicron in community – state media

Jan 19 (Reuters) – Vietnam has recorded its first cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the community, state media reported on Wednesday, as health authorities urged people to be more vigilant amid the threat of the variant.

The three positive cases were detected over the weekend in Ho Chi Minh City and confirmed as Omicron on Tuesday evening, Tien Phong newspaper reported, citing health authorities.

The Southeast Asian country had previously detected more than 70 cases of the highly transmissible variant among quarantined people entering Vietnam from abroad.

“The community should increase their vigilance against Omicron, not congregate in crowded places and get fully vaccinated,” the health ministry said in a statement last week.

Overall, Vietnam has recorded more than two million COVID-19 infections and nearly 36,000 deaths.

More than 74% of the country’s 98 million people have received at least two vaccines, according to the health ministry.

Vietnam has also launched a booster vaccination campaign, with authorities pledging that all adults will receive the additional vaccine by the end of March. Read more

Editing by Ed Davies

Our standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.