HANOI, July 31 (Reuters) - Vietnam's health ministry on Friday (Jul 31) reported 45 new COVID-19 cases linked to a recent outbreak in the central city of Danang, marking the highest daily increase since the first cases emerged in the country in late January.

The new patients, with ages ranging from 27 to 87, are linked to four hospitals and a hotel in Danang. Total infections since the virus resurfaced last Saturday have reached 93, the ministry said in a statement.

Vietnam has registered 509 cases of the virus in total, with no deaths. The country had recorded 100 days without a locally transmission case before the reemergence of the virus.