Deputy Director of HCMC Center for Disease Control (HCDC) Nguyen Hong Tam reported that the city has recorded 88 cases of Omicron variant, including 5 community ones.
“All 5 community cases are related to one patient coming from the US as informed before. No more new community cases have been detected so far. Among the 88 Omicron cases, 7 have mild symptoms like mild fever, chills, sore throat”, said the Deputy Director.
In addition, the pandemic status of HCMC lately has gradually become more positive, with only 138 new cases and 6 deaths on January 23. This is the third week that HCMC has stayed green – the safest zone.
HCDC warns that all residents in the city strictly observe the 5K rules to protect themselves against all Covid-19 variants, especially when Tet Holiday is coming and people normally move around a lot.
As to the preparation tasks for passenger traveling during Tet Holiday, Deputy Director of the HCMC Transport Department Bui Hoa An predicted that even in the peak time, the quantity of passengers this year can only be 50 percent of the last Lunar New Year time.
However, since the pandemic is mostly in control in HCMC, this number is expected to increase, especially in the last three days of this lunar year, with 60,000 passengers a day. The serving capacity of coach stations here is around 15,000 vehicles per day, equivalent to 341,000 passengers each day.
The HCMC Transport Department has received 22 papers asking for approval to increase ticket price on Tet Holiday. The price rise will not be more than 40 percent from HCMC to Southwestern provinces and Tay Ninh Province; 60 percent to other provinces.
At present, there are 315 active interprovincial bus routes from HCMC to 50 provinces.
Regarding the task of caregiving to about 2,200 orphans due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Labors, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Lam informed that the city has allocated VND6 billion (US$265,000) to buy 1,500 gifts for orphans with especially difficult circumstances. It will also cooperate with related units and the local authorities to mobilize more resources to take care of these children so that they can enjoy a meaningful Tet Holiday.
