Infection

An additional 3,639 Covid-19 infections were confirmed in the past 24 hours in 53 localities in Vietnam, the Ministry of Health reported on Monday evening. According to the ministry's report, 3,620 of the new patients are locally-transmitted cases confirmed in 53 localities including HCM City (969), Binh Duong (517), Dong Nai (458), An Giang (232), Tay Ninh (163), Bac Lieu (156), Tien Giang (111), Kien Giang (99), and Soc Trang (87). There were 19 imported patients confirmed today. The new infections showed a decrease of 408 cases compared to yesterday's figure. There were 1,573 infections found in the community. As of Monday evening, 887,797 infections have been reported since the new outbreak occurred in the country in late April. Some localities that have recorded the highest number of patients include HCM City (426,090), Binh Duong (229,357), Dong Nai (61,990), Long An (34,301), and Tien Giang (15,737). The outbreak has so far spread to 62 out of 63 cities and provinces …

[Read more...] about Additional 3,639 Covid-19 infections confirmred on Monday

According to the assessment, the city is ranked at the second level of epidemic risk (or medium risk); therefore, administrative solutions and other social activities will continue to be easing regulations for the new normal when the city reaches the first level (or low risk). The city can achieve such good results thanks to various drastic and synchronous solutions under the direction of the Government, the National Steering Committee for Disease Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health, and the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Moreover, governments in all districts, departments, socio-political organizations, voluntary organizations, and people from all walks of life are united and determined to fight the epidemic. Currently, the number of new cases in the city has decreased but is still high thankfully, the vaccination rate of people over 18 years old in the city has reached 99.12 percent, and especially the rate of full dose …

[Read more...] about HCMC ready for control of Covid-19 in new normal situation

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam last week proposed the launching of pilot flights to carry foreign tourists to several tourist destinations like Phu Quoc, Khanh Hoa and Quang Ninh from this quarter onwards. Passengers would be quarantined at a designated hotel for seven days upon arrival in Vietnam. In the first month, there would be one international flight a day, with around 4,000 to 6,000 foreign tourists allowed to visit the country. The flight frequency would be increased to two per day in the next months. Dr. Bui Doan Ne, general secretary of Vietnam Aviation Business Association, said the plan would not be feasible with the seven-day centralized quarantine rule. "No foreign tourist would sacrifice seven days of a holiday to be isolated in a hotel," he said. From October 10-20, when some domestic routes were resumed under a trial phase, the seat occupancy rate was just 30-50 percent. Several flights were nearly empty, forcing carriers to cancel flights and avoid …

[Read more...] about Quarantine rule will keep international flights grounded, experts warn

Ha Thanh Hau of Thu Duc City said she has gotten used to working from home during five months of social distancing. She is just one of many office staff in big cities like Hanoi and HCM City who want to continue remote working when social distancing comes to an end. Office staff working from home in HCM City. Hau is a single mother to a six-year-old girl, who still has to stay at home and learn online instead of going to school. Hau said working from home allows her to have more time to take care of her daughter, monitor her learning and keep up with the housework. As the pandemic is still not over she does not want to hire a domestic helper to take care of her daughter. “I prefer to work from home for a while longer, until my daughter is allowed to go back to school,” she said. Nguyen Ha An, who works in an office in Hoan Kiem District in Hanoi, said she has asked her boss to allow her to continue working from home after social distancing ends in Hanoi. An …

[Read more...] about People want to continue working from home, even after lockdown

A patient at the Hoan My Thu Duc International General Hospital in HCM City’s Thu Duc city. — Photo Courtesy of the hospital Hoan My Thu Duc International General Hospital in HCM City’s Thu Duc city has resumed its normal function as a general hospital after more than two months of exclusively treating COVID-19 patients. Its emergency aid system operates 24x7, and it has a tele-health unit. In the last two months it treated nearly 800 patients with moderate and severe COVID, limiting sequelae and enabling them to rapidly return to normal life. Those who recovered include many who had been in severe or life-threatening condition. Many pregnant women who had contracted COVID delivered safely at the hospital, with the babies being taken care of to avoid transmission from their mothers. All were discharged after treatment from the hospital. Nguyen Tuan, its director, said to enable reconversion as a general hospital, “Procedures for strict infection control have been followed …

[Read more...] about Hoan My Thu Duc resumes old role as general hospital after COVID stint

Moderna Inc said on Monday its COVID-19 vaccine generated a strong immune response in children aged six to 11 years and that it plans to submit the data to global regulators soon. Moderna said its two-dose vaccine generated virus-neutralizing antibodies in children and safety was comparable to what was previously seen in clinical trials of adolescents and adults. It cited interim data that has yet to be peer reviewed. It was unclear when U.S. regulators will weigh in on the shot. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for adults over the age of 18 years and is waiting for a response to its June application for children aged 12 through 17. It is behind rivals Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE , whose vaccine has been authorized for ages 12 and up since May. A panel of outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will meet on Tuesday to decide whether to recommend Pfizer's vaccine in children aged five to 11 years. Moderna said that in its trial of 4,753 participants, …

[Read more...] about Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine protective, safe in young children

Nguyen Huu Hung, deputy director of the health department, said the department has cooperated with the HCMC Pasteur Institute on Tuesday to train medical workers from hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities in the city regarding vaccination for children. Around 3,900 workers have signed up for training. Hung said around 780,000 children aged 12-17 in the city would be vaccinated. They would receive their first shots within five days, and children aged 16-17 would be prioritized for vaccination, before passing to other ages. Previously on Monday, the HCMC health department requested the HCMC Pasteur Institute to approve the usage of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12-17. The institute is expected to give an answer on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the Health Ministry approved Covid-19 vaccination for children aged 12-17, prioritizing those aged 16-17. It has yet to specify exactly what types of vaccine would be used, but they have to come in two doses and …

[Read more...] about HCMC to begin vaccinating children on Wednesday

Major Bùi Thanh Thuyết with her sons before departing to support health workers in COVID-19 hotspots. — VNA/VNS Photo Major Bùi Thanh Thuyết, a 37-year-old doctor at the 108 Military Hospital, prepares for her latest departure to support frontline teams in the fight against COVID-19. Since the COVID-19 pandemic first appeared in Việt Nam in February 2020, Major Thuyết has headed a team responsible for taking samples and sending them for testing. The work was hard and there was a high risk of infection, but she and her colleagues were steadfast, collecting and analysing samples as quickly as possible. She was recently sent to support frontline teams at the epicentre of COVID-19 in Bắc Giang Province. "We have to stand very close to people to take samples from their throat and nose. Our actions taking samples often make people cough and choke, which causes a high potential risk of spreading the virus," Thuyết told Tin Tức (News) newspaper. "We always …

[Read more...] about Military doctor on the frontline against COVID-19

Just under 4,000 new COVID-19 cases on Friday Awareness is key to keeping safe in Hà Nội in the new normal: experts 3,034 new COVID-19 cases in Việt Nam on Tuesday Hà Nội to open COVID-19 vaccination registration for children from age 3 Workers receive free COVID-19 rapid tests A hair salon in Hà Nội's Đống Đa District was locked down after new community COVID-19 infections were detected there last weekend. —VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI — A senior medical expert has warned that even though social distancing regulations have been greatly eased in Hà Nội, the capital city is still at risk of further COVID-19 outbreaks. Trần Đắc Phu, senior expert of the Việt Nam Public Health Emergency Operation Centre, said the chances of further clusters emerging are increased as more migrant workers and students return to the city. Phu, a former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine, said that as the COVID-19 vaccination rate in other localities was still …

[Read more...] about Hà Nội still faces high risks of COVID-19 outbreaks: expert

Residents in Buôn Ma Thuột City are tested for COVID-19 after 98 community infection cases were detected on Sunday. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh HÀ NỘI — Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long urged localities to raise their vigilance as the risk of further COVID-19 outbreaks is very high in the near future. Localities are told to implement drastic measures to prevent a new wave of COVID-19 infections. Speaking at an online conference on Resolution 128, which provides temporary guidance on safe adaptation, flexibility and effective control of the pandemic on Sunday, Long said the pandemic has been basically put under control in key areas in HCM City and neighbouring Bình Dương, Long An, and Đồng Nai provinces. However, the number of people travelling from pandemic-affected areas to other localities increased after social distancing measures were eased. New clusters have appeared with the infection source mainly from people returning from pandemic-hit areas. Phú Thọ, Thanh …

[Read more...] about Extra vigilance needed to avoid new wave of COVID-19: Health ministry