Vietnam's business hub Ho Chi Minh City will extend its coronavirus restrictions to the end of August, state media reported as new infections and deaths rise further in the epicentre of the country's worst outbreak yet.

"We have to prepare for a prolonged battle," Phan Van Mai, the deputy secretary of the city's Communist Party committee, was quoted as saying by the Tuoi Tre newspaper.

After successfully containing the virus up until late April, Vietnam has seen infections rise rapidly and has introduced movement restrictions across about a third of the country to try to curtail the spread.

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