HANOI, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam recorded 978 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, down by 609 from Wednesday, according to its ministry of health.

All the new cases were locally transmitted, said the ministry.

The newly reported infections brought the total tally of COVID-19 to 11,477,886. The country reported a new death from the pandemic in the northern Hai Duong province on Thursday, bringing the total fatalities to 43,148.

As of Thursday, there were 106 severe cases in need of assisted breathing in the Southeast Asian country, according to the ministry.

Nationwide, 10,590,917 COVID-19 patients, or over 92 percent of the total infections, have recovered.

Nearly 260.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the country, including over 220.4 million shots on people aged 18 and above, said the ministry.

Vietnam has already recorded COVID-19 infections with the Omicron BA.4, BA.5, BA.2.12.1 and BA.2.74 sub-variants and is accelerating the inoculation of its people with a fourth vaccine dose.