Number of COVID-19 patients in Ho Chi Minh City increases slightly

On May 16, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said the number of COVID-19 cases in the area is showing signs of a slight increase but no cases requiring respiratory support have been recorded.

This is still a circulating infectious disease that causes acute respiratory illness similar to other respiratory viruses.

Since mid-April, the Ho Chi Minh City Infectious Disease Surveillance System has recorded 40 COVID-19 cases being treated at hospitals in the city. In week 19 alone (from May 5-11), the entire city reported 16 cases, an increase of 10 cases compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks (6 cases/week).

Accumulated from the beginning of 2025 to now, Ho Chi Minh City has had 51 COVID-19 cases, including 29 inpatients and 22 outpatients.

Compared to the same period in 2024, the total number of cases in 2025 decreased by 83% and there were no cases requiring respiratory support. However, the City's Infectious Disease Surveillance System recorded that in the first 14 weeks of the year, only 1-2 COVID-19 cases were reported each week; however, from week 15 (mid-April) until now, the number of weekly COVID-19 cases has shown signs of increasing quite clearly. Ho Chi Minh City has not recorded any COVID-19 outbreaks in the area.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, currently, globally, the number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 is on a downward trend, and the World Health Organization has not recorded any new SARS-CoV2 variants.

In Vietnam, COVID-19 has become a circulating infectious disease that causes acute respiratory infections similar to other respiratory viruses. The increase in travel and gatherings of people at events and festivals in recent times has led to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks and possibly in the following weeks.

Although no severe cases have been recorded and no new dangerous variants have been detected, the increase in the number of cases has somewhat affected people's lives.

The Department of Health directed the City Center for Disease Control to continue monitoring the situation of COVID-19 and acute respiratory infections in the world, domestically and in the City, monitor the development of virus variants, and implement appropriate and effective disease prevention and control measures.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health recommends that people wear masks when visiting and receiving treatment at medical facilities, crowded places, and on public transport; wash hands regularly with soap, clean water, or hand sanitizer; cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; do not spit indiscriminately. Eat nutritious foods and exercise to improve health.

When experiencing symptoms of cough, fever, and difficulty breathing, people should contact a medical facility for timely consultation, examination, and treatment. People returning from countries with increasing COVID-19 cases should proactively monitor their health and take infection prevention measures to protect themselves, their families, or close contacts./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/so-benh-nhan-mac-covid-19-tai-thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-tang-nhe-post1038913.vnp