Vietnam is flattening the curve of COVID-19
According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), Vietnam has not seen any rise in new cases for over the past 120 hours, stabilizing the nation’s total infections at 268.
This is also the longest period of time that has passed since Vietnam saw a new virus infection, as the last confirmed case was on 16 April.
216 patients out of 268 cases have been discharged
Source: Vietnam’s Ministry of Health
216 patients have been discharged and zero deaths have been reported to date, in the latest sign that the country’s early prevention methods may be paying off.
The progress of COVID-19 in Vietnam to date
Source: Vietnam’s Ministry of Health
For the past month, statistics from the Ministry of Health have shown a decline in numbers of new infections every day, with patients continuing to be discharged almost daily.
Information technology plays a critical role in the treatment of critically ill patients
To date, 75% of infected patient cases have recovered from the virus and been discharged.
Mr Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Minister of The Ministry of Health, attributed the successful treatment of severely infected cases to the use of technology.
Vietnamese healthcare staff from different hospitals in Vietnam meeting online
Image credit: Vietnam’s Ministry of Health
To make sure that these patients are treated by the best healthcare staff in the country, the MOH established a remote task force, where the top health experts are gathered via a video conferencing platform to exchange ideas and discuss difficult cases.
For this reason, all of the critical cases have shown significant improvements.
One of the most severely infected cases is the British pilot (Case 91) who is being treated in Ho Chi Minh Hospital For Tropical Disease. His condition has been regulated, while his lung condition remains stable. The MOH is hopeful that the tireless efforts and capabilities of healthcare staff can help the patient recover.
The MOH warns everyone about possible community transmission
No new infected cases is good news, but the MOH has warned against overly optimistic predictions in the context of ongoing widespread community transmission.
People are still recommended to practice social distancing until further notice from the government, and follow personal hygiene practices to keep themselves and everyone else safe.
Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi called for relaxation of social distancing measures
As new infections continue to show a downward trend, the municipalities of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi recently proposed relaxation of social distancing measures on some facilities. Any new regulations that result from this proposal will be made known later today, 22 April 2020.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke in the conference on 20 April
Image credit: VGP News
“The containment of the coronavirus outbreak has improved. We can start relaxing social distancing measures step by step, but we must do so under strict monitoring lest it breaks out again,” said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in a conference on 20 April.
“We must not be overly optimistic about the situation,” the Prime Minister added.
Let’s not let our guard down
Vietnam has achieved remarkable success in flattening the curve on COVID-19, as the last new infection was 6 days ago.
This is a positive trend, but we should not forget that we’re still dealing with a deadly disease with no known treatment yet.
Let’s continue taking necessary precautions and stay updated with news from trusted sources regarding the virus.
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Cover image adapted from: Thông tin Chính phủ
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