HANOI -- Although vaccination drives in Southeast Asia are making progress, the region is suffering from a rising fatality rate as the delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread. In Vietnam, a vaccination laggard in the region, the upcoming few weeks will be crucial for controlling the situation, the World Health Organization's main representative in the country has warned.
Health experts say the delta variant, a new strain of COVID-19 first detected in India, is very contagious. "As of 25 July, the Delta variant has been reported in 124 countries in the world, including Vietnam. We expect it to soon be the dominant COVID-19 strain circulating worldwide," Kidong Park, the WHO representative in Vietnam told Nikkei Asia.
