HANOI, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam recorded 502 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, down 78 from Tuesday, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

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

The newly-reported infections brought the total tally to 11,509,975. The country reported a new death from the pandemic in the southern Can Tho city on Wednesday, bringing the total fatalities to 43,167.

As of Wednesday, 66 severe cases were in need of assisted breathing in the Southeast Asian country, according to the ministry.

Nationwide, 10,606,299 COVID-19 patients, or over 92 percent of the total infections, have recovered.