Medical blockage lifted from Hanoi’s outlying village

On Tuesday afternoon, the People's Committee of Me Linh District issued a decision ending the medical isolation for Ha Loi, which was in place since April 8.

Following this decision, from 0:00 on Wednesday, Ha Loi Village in Me Linh Commune, in the suburban district of the same name, has been removed from all medical quarantine posts. Before the end of the quarantine, all Ha Loi villagers were sampled and all the test results showed negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Despite the blockage removal, Hanoi local authorities still identify Ha Loi a high-risk area for COVID-19 transmission as the time since the last patient was detected has not passed the 28-day mark. Therefore, local people are suggested to strictly follow disease preventive measures until May 11.

* On May 5, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications launched an application that is expected to help assess COVID-19 transmission risks. The app is available on the website https://antoandn.tphcm.gov.vn and is expected to be in app stores on Android and iOS soon. It will also help the Steering Board for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and relevant agencies to monitor the situation and assess the safety of businesses and organisations in the city.

* On the same day, the Vietnam Red Cross Society in Quang Ngai Province organised a "Humanitarian market" to support local disadvantaged people affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Gifts of vouchers worth VND100,000 each to buy essential goods were granted to over 100 locals. Three other market sessions are expected to be held across Quang Ngai to support 500 disadvantaged people, with a total budget of VND50 million.

* A “Happy trip” programme was launched in Hoa Binh Province on the same day by the APEC Group in coordination with Kim Boi and Luong Son Districts’ Youth Union units to support local disadvantaged people affected by COVID-19. Running until May 8 in 20 remote and disadvantaged communes in Kim Boi and Luong Son, the programme is expected to provide 1,500 gifts valued at VND100,000 each.

A disadvantaged local receives free gifts from the “Happy trip" programme run jointly by Apec Group and Hoa Binh Provincial Youth Union units, Hoa Binh, May 5, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Tran Hao)

* On May 5, the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) announced that, at a recent medical supply handover ceremony, the TKV directly presented 10,000 medical masks and VND500 million in cash to Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin Vnukov to support his country in the COVID-19 fight.

* Also, on May 5, Crocs Vietnam Company presented 800 pairs of Crocs sandals to doctors both at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi and the Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City to facilitate them during COVID-19 treatment.

* As of Wednesday morning, Vietnam has entered the 20th consecutive day without any COVID-19 infections in the community. The national count stands still at 271, with 232 patients who have recovered and been discharged from hospital (accounting for 86%).

Yesterday, Vietnam discharged an additional 11 patients. There are only 39 being treated at health facilities across the nation and most of them are in stable health. Among the active patients, 12 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once and nine have tested negative twice or more.

Only one patient, a 43-year-old British pilot, is still in critical condition after 48 days of treatment. Known as Patient 91, he is receiving treatment at the Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, relying on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for over 30 days, with severe lung damage. However, he has shown to be negative for SARS-CoV-2 following the latest test on April 30.

In addition to the British national, the remaining two severe cases are Patients 19 and 161, but the Vietnamese duo have passed their critical stage.

Among them, Patient 161, a 88-year-old woman, was among the 11 cases announced as recovered from the deadly virus yesterday. The Hung Yen Province native has tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 three times in a row. She has also been transferred to Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi for treating her underlying diseases, including stroke.

Meanwhile, Patient 19, a 64-year-old female from Hanoi, has shown positive recovery signs. She has given up support from ventilation machine since May 4 and has now awakened and communicated well, without fever.