At the press conference (Photo: SGGP)
Mr. Phuong said at the regular press conference organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on September 21 to provide information about the Covid-19 epidemic in the city.
At the press conference, Deputy Head of the city's Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Pham Duc Hai said that as of 6 pm on September 20, the southern metropolis recorded 342,237 Covid-19 infection cases confirmed by the Ministry of Health.
Currently, around 40,909 patients are being treated in medical facilities citywide. The city recorded 182 deaths on September 20, taking the national toll to 13,626. As the number of deliverymen increased quickly to meet the public’s demand to shop from home, they were trained in self-testing and updated apps. The Department of Health will provide them testing kits and deliverymen will undergo tests every three days.
Dr. Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, Deputy Director of the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City speaks at the press brief (Photo: SGGP) Dr. Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, Deputy Director of the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the health sector always takes care of Covid-19 patients’ mental health problems. When a patient has anxiety or depressive disorder, doctors of Ho Chi Minh City Psychiatric Hospital will be invited to treatment facilities for consultation.
Up to now, doctors from the city-based Psychiatric Hospital have examined and provided consultancy for Covid-19 patients in 70 treatment facilities.
The city health sector will promote treatment of Covid-19 patients at home and strengthen health care facilities towards living with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, said Dr. Nguyen Van Vinh Chau.
From now until September 30, District 7 General Hospital, Cu Chi General Hospital, and Can Gio District Hospital will return to treat other illnesses. After September 30, hospitals of other districts will provide treatment of normal diseases as before in addition to the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Regarding the distribution of anti-Covid-19 drugs, Dr. Chau said the Department of Health has set up eight inspection teams to check the distribution and use of the medication. The department worked with the police to issue punishment for violations of distribution.
