Approximately 100,000 factory workers in the northern province of Bac Giang, Vietnam’s largest COVID-19 epicenter at the moment, will receive coronavirus vaccine shots over the next seven to ten days.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Saturday afternoon convened a meeting with leaders of ministries and sectors and authorities in Bac Giang Province to discuss COVID-19 prevention and control efforts in the epicenter.

The province has documented 2,074 local infections since the country was hit by the fourth transmission wave on April 27.

Quang Chau Industrial Park is currently the largest hot spot with more 1,520 cases, Duong Van Thai, secretary of the provincial Party Committee, said at the meeting.

The number of cases in Bac Giang has risen rapidly over the past days as competent authorities have been conducting mass COVID-19 retests on workers at high-risk areas and direct contacts at local quarantine facilities.

About 20,000 samples have been collected in the province per day, Thai added.

Thirteen COVID-19 treatment facilities with 3,600 beds have been established, the official said, adding that more facilities with some 1,800 beds will be put into operation in the coming time.

An intensive care unit (ICU) with 50 beds has been established at the Bac Giang Lung Hospital to treat serious cases.

Another ICU with 100 beds is being prepared at the Bac Giang Mental Hospital.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the province is expected to continue increasing, but most of these cases have already been quarantined, Thai said.

According to the provincial Department of Health, the number of workers and laborers who need vaccination in the province is about 100,000.

Inoculation for workers at industrial parks in Bac Giang began on Thursday afternoon.

As of Saturday afternoon, about 4,500 had received their first vaccine shots.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said that the remaining workers will be administered with COVID-19 vaccine over the next seven to ten days.

About 1,400 health workers, medical students, and police and military officers are participating in pandemic response efforts in Bac Giang, Son added.

Nearly 26,000 students and teachers at medical schools from across the country have also sign up to taking part in the efforts, he added.

Vietnam has documented 6,964 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon, with 2,896 recoveries and 47 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 3,893 local infections in 34 provinces and cities since April 27.

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