Here are today’s leading news stories:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Vietnam’s Ministry of Health reported 12,097 local COVID-19 infections, including 5,481 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, on Saturday, raising the country’s tally to 422,469, with 210,989 recoveries and 10,405 deaths.

-- From August 23 to 28, Ho Chi Minh City detected nearly 42,400 positive cases, accounting for 3.5 percent of the samples collected from the community, according to the city’s Center for Disease Control.

-- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have allowed delivery workers to resume operation in high-risk areas including Thu Duc City, District 8, District 12, Go Vap District, Binh Tan District, Binh Thanh District, Binh Chanh District, and Hoc Mon District.

-- Officials in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City have coordinated with Grab Vietnam to help local residents shop for food and other essentials via the company’s mobile app during the ongoing shelter-in-place order.

Society

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications confirmed it has imposed fines worth VND122.5 million (US$5,390) on 15 people for spreading false news about the COVID-19 pandemic since April.

-- Police in the northern province of Lao Cai have arrested three suspects to facilitate their investigation into a case where a 15-year-old girl was sold to a prostitution ring.

-- A 27-year-old man has been apprehended for hitting an officer after he was allowed to pass a COVID-19 checkpoint in Hanoi on Thursday.

-- Commuters in Ho Chi Minh City have once again been required to file movement declarations at local COVID-19 checkpoints from Sunday. The regulation was previously implemented in mid-August but was later canceled as it caused serious congestion at the checkpoints.

Business

-- General Director of Acecook Vietnam Kajiwara Junichi said during a press meeting on Saturday that all of the firm’s instant noodle products are safe for local consumers, following Ireland’s warning over a banned substance found in Acecook’s Hao Hao instant noodle and Good vermicelli.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!