A further 15,218 fresh COVID-19 infections detected across 62 localities nationwide

An additional 15,218 positive COVID cases were confirmed by the Ministry of Health on December 26, with Hanoi capital continuing to suffer the highest number of infections at 1,910.

Several localities also recorded hundreds of local cases, including Tay Ninh (928), Vinh Long (889), Binh Dinh (800), Dong Thap (781), Khanh Hoa (763), Can Tho (715), Ca Mau (579), Tra Vinh (572), and Ho Chi Minh City (544).

Hanoi has continued the recent trend of recording an increasing number of fresh COVID-19 infections in the local community, thereby raising the overall number of cases during the fourth pandemic wave which first emerged in late April to more than 3,900. This figure includes 14,333 recorded within the local community and the rest being detected in quarantine.

The new infections bring the country's total number of infections since COVID-19 initially broke out in the country back in early 2020 to 1,651,673, ranking 31st among 222 countries and territories globally.

The nation also recorded 207 COVID-19 fatalities on December 26, increasing the country's death toll to 31,214, and accounting for 1.9% of confirmed cases.

The overall number of recoveries also climbed to more than 1.248 million following an additional 18,556 patients being discharged from hospital over the past 24 hours.

The country has to date administered over 145.5 million vaccine doses, with more than 65.9 million people being fully vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health has continued urging localities to accelerate the progress of vaccination against COVID-19 for people of specified age, and ensure safe vaccination according to regulations set out by the Ministry of Health, with priority given to people aged 50 years or older, and those with underlying medical conditions.