Localities urged to make use of on-site resources for COVID-19 treatment

Accordingly, the Steering Committee asked local agencies and medical establishments to urgently review and strengthen their capacity regarding emergency, active resuscitation and the treatment of COVID-19 in accordance with the "on the spot" motto.

Local Departments of Health and hospitals need to report daily on critically-ill patients, treatment capacity and active resuscitation via the online cdc.kcb.vn portal, under the guidance of the Department of Examination and Treatment Administration.

According to the ministry, Vietnam recorded 40 more locally-infected COVID-19 cases by 12 pm today, lifting the national count to 5,971.

Among the new patients, 27 were recorded in Bac Giang province, six in Hanoi, four in Bac Ninh province, and one each in Dien Bien and Hai Duong provinces, and the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Kim Chung commune in Hanoi's outlying district of Dong Anh.

The number of locally-transmitted and imported cases stood at 4,482, and 1,489, respectively.

Two more patients were announced as recovered earlier this morning at the Hoa Vang District Medical Centre in Da Nang, raising the number of recoveries to 2,794, while the death toll stands at 44.

Among the active patients, 70 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 41 twice and 69 thrice.

On the morning of May 26, a special unit from the Ministry of Health coordinated with Bac Giang authorities to carry out quick tests for nearly 19,000 workers and people in the three areas of Viet Yen district hardest hit by COVID-19, namely Nui Hieu, Trung Dong, Tam Tang.

According to Deputy director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology Le Thi Quynh Mai, this quick testing method gives results in 15 minutes with accuracy of up to 70-75 percent.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (middle) inspects a medical blockade area in Hieu mountainous village, Quang Chau commune, Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province, May 26, 2021. (Photo: VGP)

Also this morning, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, inspected a number of isolation and blockade areas in Bac Giang. Dam asked the province to summarise its experiences in implementing the concentrated isolation and blockade of residential areas with a large number of workers, as well as solutions to protect local people and workers' lives and activities.

In Ly Nhan district, Ha Nam province, local authorities lifted medical blockage on some villages in the three communes of Dao Ly, Bac Ly and Chan Ly from 20 pm on May 25, but are still implementing a strict social distancing order.

On May 26, the People's Committee of Tan Thanh ward in Buon Ma Thuot city, Dak Lak province announced a decision on lifting an 18-day blockade order in relation to residential areas at alley 189/1, Mai Hac De street from 0:00 on May 26, after 40 households with 144 people there tested negative for COVID-19 twice.

Assoc. Prof, Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the MoH’s Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, announced that the health sector is building an AI software to assist doctors in the early detection of COVID-19 infections, helping them effectively treat COVID-19 patients and detect their close contacts who are at high risk of being infected.

In Da Nang, local authorities have put into use some applications using information technology to facilitate epidemic prevention and control and reduce "manual" administrative procedures, such as e-health declarations, a patient database, a COVID-19 epidemiological map (Covidmaps), online COVID-19 test registration and access control using QR Codes.

A Da Nang resident uses a QR Code card to enter a local market. (Photo: NDO/Thanh Tam)

On the morning of May 26, 13 staff members from the Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital set off for Bac Giang to support the northern province in its fight against COVID-19.

On the same day, in Hanoi, the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Communications and Education launched a donation campaign to support the COVID-19 prevention and control fund.

Also on May 26, the Cambodian Ministry of Health received medical aid for COVID-19 prevention from the Government and people of Vietnam, including 800 ventilators, 2 million medical masks and other medical supplies worth US$200,000.

The above medical supplies and equipment are within the framework of Vietnam's official support programme to help Cambodia cope with the COVID-19 epidemic.

Previously, in April 2020 and April 2021, the Party, State, Government and people of Vietnam donated many medical supplies and equipment to Cambodia, including COVID-19 testing systems and biologicals, protective clothing, medical masks, antibacterial masks and financial support worth US$500,000.