Vietnam discovers new hybrid virus variant

Mass-testing for COVID-19 and vaccinations continued in Vietnam on Sunday after authorities announced the discovery of a new coronavirus variant that's a hybrid of strains first found in India and the U.K. Workers got their jabs in the northeastern Bac Giang province, where many of the cases in Vietnam's recent surge were detected.

In Ho Chi Minh City, at least 85 people tested positive as part of a cluster at a Protestant church, the Health Ministry said. Vietnam has confirmed more than 3,500 new cases and 12 deaths in the last few weeks, increasing the country's total death toll to 47. Vietnam's health minister said Saturday the newly discovered variant could be responsible for the recent upsurge, and that it might be more transmissible than other versions of the virus.