The rapidly spreading strain accounts for 60 per cent of the cases, with the other subvariants like BA.2 and BA.2.74 accounting for most of the remaining.

Vietnam has detected a number of new, highly-contagious Omicron sub-variants, including BA.2.74, said the General Department of Preventive Medicine on August 17.

The number of COVID-19 cases is currently increasing both globally and in the country due to the recent rapid spread of the Omicron variant, according to information given by the General Department of Preventive Medicine.

Vietnam's two largest cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are facing new outbreaks of the Covid-19 pandemic following the detection of Omicron subvariant BA.5 and the slow pace of vaccination.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered faster administration of the third and fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccine as part of measures against the unpredictable pandemic situation, especially when the sub-variant BA.5 has appeared in Vietnam.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-lineage BA.5 has entered Vietnam and may overwhelm the old sub-lineage BA.2 which is dominant in the country, according to Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan, Director of the Health Ministry’s Department of Preventive Medicine.

PM Pham Minh Chinh requested the gradual normalisation of the COVID-19 pandemic at a teleconference between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with ministries, sectors, and 63 provinces and cities.

Ho Chi Minh City is randomly conducting genome sequencing of positive test samples for the emergence of the Omicron variant in the community, said an official of the municipal Department of Health.

HCM City’s health authorities on Friday announced five community Omicron cases found during random screening.

The first locally acquired Omicron case in Hanoi capital has recovered from the virus, the Hanoi Department of Health announced on January 26 evening.

Most COVID-19 infections related to the Omicron variant of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in Vietnam show no symptoms.

The highly contagious Omicron variant has spread to 11 cities and provinces nationwide, with Binh Duong reporting its first Omicron-infected case. In addition, HCMC has reported three more Omicron cases.

The Ba Muoi Thang Tu Hospital in HCMC today, January 19, reported three locally-infected Omicron cases, which are the first Omicron cases in the community in Vietnam.

The southern province of Long An has reported its first Omicron case while the central city Da Nang logged three more, bringing the national tally to 35.

As many as 15,779 people have tested positive for coronavirus in 60 cities and provinces across Vietnam during the past 24 hours, with Hanoi capital topping localities in infection number.

The Ministry of Health has warned that there is a high risk of spreading the Omicron variant among the community.

HCM City People’s Committee has just issued urgent guidelines for a five-step quarantine procedure for arriving passengers amid the emergence of the Omicron variant in Vietnam.

The Hanoi-based Military Central Hospital 108 said on January 2 that Vietnam's first confirmed Omicron case has been discharged from the hospital on the same day after testing negative for coronavirus a day earlier.

Five cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been detected in Ho Chi Minh City, according to the municipal Department of Health.