What you need to know today in Vietnam:

Society

-- Vietnam reported 45 community-transmitted COVID-19 cases on Friday morning, bringing its total to 509 patients, the Ministry of Health announced the same day.

-- Ho Chi Minh City authorities locked down Street No. 10 in Block 6, Hiep Binh Chanh Ward, Thu Duc District over a suspected coronavirus case on Thursday.  

-- Da Nang, Vietnam's COVID-19 epicenter now, is speeding up the construction of a makeshift hospital at Tien Son Sports Complex to treat patients.

-- Officials in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City had discovered eight Chinese nationals making an illegal entry into Vietnam, a source told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday night.

-- The World Bank will provide over $6.2 million for Vietnam to fight COVID-19 under a deal signed with the State Bank of Vietnam in Hanoi on Thursday.

Education

-- The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City said on Thursday that it would close from August 3 to 9 to prevent coronavirus transmission.

Business

-- At least 31,000 people in Ho Chi Minh City canceled their tours to Da Nang on July 26 and 27 over COVID-19 concerns, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism.

-- Bangkok Post reported that BCPG Plc, a renewable energy arm of Bangchak Corporation Plc, has plans to build ASEAN's largest wind farm in Laos at a cost of US$840 million. Electricity will be sold to Vietnam's state-run Electricity Vietnam, the newspaper said.

Sports

-- A Vietnamese hacker was suspected of controlling the verified Facebook account of former Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic on Thursday.

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