HANOI, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Vietnam's health ministry approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for domestic inoculation, the first coronavirus vaccine to be approved in the country, the government said on Saturday as it battles its biggest outbreak yet.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had said Vietnam must try to obtain the vaccine in the first quarter to ensure people's health.

Vietnam has kept its tally to a low 1,739 infections and 35 deaths. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by William Mallard)