HANOI, July 30 (Reuters) - Vietnam's health ministry on Thursday (Jul 30) reported nine new locally transmitted coronavirus cases linked to the Danang outbreak, taking total infections to 42 since the virus resurfaced at the weekend.

Of the nine new cases, eight people are from Danang and one is from the capital Hanoi, the health ministry said a statement. The new virus wave has spread to six Vietnamese cities and provinces in six days.

Vietnam has registered a total of 459 cases, with no deaths, the statement said. More than 81,000 people in Vietnam are currently undergoing quarantine, up from 12,000 people on Monday.

With more than 95 million people, Vietnam is the most populous country in the world to have recorded no deaths from the virus, and until now no locally transmitted infections had been reported for months.

That record is now under threat following an outbreak last weekend in Danang, where tens of thousands of domestic tourists were vacationing thanks to discounted travel deals.

Hanoi on Wednesday ordered bars and pubs to shut and banned large gatherings, after registering its first case of COVID-19 on Wednesday linked to the Danang outbreak.

"We have to act now and act fast. All large gatherings will be banned until further notice," the head of the city's administration, Nguyen Duc Chung, said in a statement on the city's website.

"Over 21,000 people returned to Hanoi from Danang will be closely monitored and will undergo rapid testing," he said.