In response to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has urgently directed its affiliated units to strengthen prevention and control; ensure effective admission, emergency care, and treatment of COVID-19 patients, early detection of severe cases, timely handling, and minimizing deaths in the area.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, Omicron XEC is not a new variant, it has been recorded in the world since June 2024 and is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a low-risk variant that needs to be monitored.
However, in the face of unpredictable developments of the COVID-19 pandemic globally, the Department of Health assigned the City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) to be the focal point for monitoring the epidemic's developments locally and globally; strengthening surveillance of cases, pathogens, unusual events, etc. to make early forecasts and promptly advise on intervention solutions.
The Center for Disease Control in collaboration with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, and the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) collects samples to identify virus variants from outbreaks, severe cases, and monitor the spread.
At the same time, the center is implementing a sustainable disease control plan for the 2023-2025 period, focusing especially on protecting high-risk groups such as the elderly and people with underlying diseases.
The Center for Disease Control needs to organize training and guide medical facilities to properly implement professional procedures for preventing and fighting the COVID-19 epidemic according to the instructions of the Ministry of Health; promote communication at public places, tourist attractions, shopping centers, etc. to raise awareness of personal disease prevention (wearing masks, washing hands, going to medical facilities when having symptoms, etc.).
Medical examination and treatment facilities in the area review and update COVID-19 admission and treatment plans; proactively arrange human resources, medicines, equipment and medical supplies.
Hospitals organize retraining on COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment and infection control procedures according to decisions and instructions of the Ministry of Health; strengthen infection control measures to minimize the spread of disease in hospitals, especially strengthening protection for patients in high-risk groups, intensive care units, cardiovascular, artificial kidney, surgery...
Hospitals have increased monitoring of hand hygiene compliance and mask wearing for all people entering and leaving the hospital.
In case of receiving patients with severe COVID-19 or severe cases due to COVID-19 complications, hospitals need to proactively consult and transfer patients to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases for continued treatment, paying attention to ensuring patient safety before and during the transfer process.
District and county health centers strengthen communication and propaganda activities on disease prevention and control in the community, focusing on propagating and mobilizing people to implement measures to prevent and control COVID-19, risk factors and harmful effects of the disease to raise people's awareness.
District health centers develop and update documents, products, and communication messages on disease prevention and control in accordance with the customs, practices, and languages of each locality in the city; organize training courses to improve the capacity of health workers in monitoring, detecting, and investigating people with infectious diseases, monitoring pathogens, and measures to handle outbreaks.
Isolation area at a hospital. (Photo: Minh Quyet/VNA)
From the beginning of 2025 to May 16, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 51 COVID-19 cases; including 29 inpatients and 22 outpatients.
Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of cases from the beginning of 2025 to now has decreased by 83% and there are no cases requiring respiratory support. The city's infectious disease surveillance system recorded that in the first 14 weeks of the year, there were 1-2 COVID-19 cases reported each week.
However, from week 15 (mid-April 2025) until now, the number of weekly COVID-19 cases has shown clear signs of increasing. Ho Chi Minh City has not recorded any COVID-19 outbreaks in the area./.
(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-so-ca-mac-covid-19-hang-tuan-co-dau-hieu-tang-ro-ret-post1039978.vnp
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