Illustrative photo
The Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City set up 10 inspection teams to check the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic in districts 12, Hoc Mon, Nha Be, Binh Chanh with more positive cases of Covid-19. The health inspectors arrived at the conclusion that most of the cases are workers working in industrial zones and living in rental houses in the area.
After nine new Covid-19 outbreaks were discovered in Hoc Mon District’s Xuan Thoi Thuong and Ba Diem communes, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has asked relevant agencies to promptly take measures for stamping out the epidemic. By November 7, test results have shown that of 729 people, 81 were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the Department of Health coordinated with the Military Medical Department under the Ministry of National Defense to send medical workers of 15 mobile medical stations from Binh Tan District to Hoc Mon District to help their peers control the epidemic soon. In addition, the Department of Health proposed the Rehabilitation Center of the Hue Central Hospital, and the field hospital No. 14 receive severe Covid-19 infected cases.
From October 23 to now, more than 8,000 cases of Covid-19 people have been recorded in District 12. Especially, more than 1,200 cases have been recorded in Hiep Thanh ward alone.
According to District 12 leaders, many of the Covid-19 cases are workers and tenants while Binh Chanh District has had 6,201 cases of Covid-19 from the beginning of October until now following the re-operation of industrial zones in the area. Most of the infected cases are living in communes Vinh Loc A, Pham Van Hai and Le Minh Xuan.
Dr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy Director of the Health Department of Ho Chi Minh City, said that because workers in densely populated rental houses face the greatest coronavirus risk, it is necessary to have strict epidemic control measures in industrial parks and worker accommodation.
Local governments need to raise their vigilance as well as review those who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and have vaccination plan for them. Last but not least, local administrations must develop a plan for the establishment of mobile medical stations in case that military force withdraws.
Averagely, the southern metropolis records between 900 and 1,000 new Covid-19 cases per day. Currently, hospitals in the area are treating more than 11,000 patients while more than 31,000 Covid-19 people with mild symptoms isolated and treated at home. Worryingly, the number of hospitalizations is higher than the number of recoveries every day.
Through surveillance statistics, there has been a slight rise of new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations at hospitals in the city in recent two weeks, especially in districts with many industrial zones. Though Ho Chi Minh City has a relatively high vaccine coverage rate, many unvaccinated people from other provinces return to Ho Chi Minh City for studying and work; hence, the risk of disease spread is quite high.
According to Associate Professor Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City, after more than a month of implementing Directive 18 of the municipal People's Committee on continued prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic and gradual recovery of socio-economy, the pandemic is temporarily stable, but there are still potential risks of infection spread.
