Vaccination for children in District 1 (Photo: VnExpress)
Dr. Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, said that this is the first time in 6 months since the outbreak of the pandemic that the number of daily deaths in the city has decreased to less than 10 people. All deaths from COVID-19 in the day were associated with an underlying disease. Through the past 10 days, the number of deaths in the city has gradually decreased, staying at less than 20 people per day.
The number of new infections on January 16 also decreased to 296. To date, the city has recorded 30 cases of Omicron variant, of which 12 have been discharged.
Hospitals are treating more than 3,700 cases, 10 times lower than at its peak 5 months ago. Currently, the number of severe cases requiring respiratory support has decreased to more than 1,100.
According to the assessment of leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the pandemic was initially controlled, and the number of new cases and the number of deaths gradually decreased. Currently, the number of patients being treated at field hospitals accounts for about 10-30% of the hospital bed capacity. The city will close 4 field hospitals 3, 5, 10 and Cu Chi from January 19, creating conditions for medical staff participating in the fight against the pandemic to have time to recover.
Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Duong Anh Duc assessed that the campaign to protect at-risk groups was initially effective, helping to reduce the number of deaths. Throughout 2022, the city will continue its campaign to protect at-risk people as well as care for the workforce - the frontline in economic recovery and development, to ensure the city's economic growth.
The campaign to protect at-risk groups to reduce deaths from COVID-19 has been implemented by Ho Chi Minh City since December 7, in the context that the mortality rate was still high and most of the deaths were in the group of people over 50 years old with underlying diseases, having not been vaccinated, or having not received antiretroviral drugs before.
In 2022, the target group of people at risk will be expanded according to the direction of the Ministry of Health, including people with underlying diseases, people over 50 years old, pregnant women, and people over 18 years old who have not had enough COVID-19 vaccine. The city will conduct screening tests once a month for people in at-risk groups, and the first round this year will be completed in January./.