British COVID-19 patient smiles, shakes hands with doctors

The critical British COVID-19 patient numbered 91 has regained consciousness and been able to respond to instructions by healthcare workers.

Though he is still dependent on ECMO but doctors at the Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, where he is being treated, have gradually reduced blood flow speed and oxygenation levels as his lungs are getting better.

X-ray image of his lungs on June 2 showed that more than half of the left lung has completely recovered while the right lung began to improve.

He is still infected with Burkholderia cenocepacia, a type of opportunistic bacteria.

The doctors are now focusing on curing his lung infections in order to make him less reliant on the ECMO.

The patient is currently having physical therapy twice a day to repair motor muscles, monitor electrolyte regulation, use furosemide to maintain fluid balance, and receive care for the ulcer and amputation due to excessive lying.

As of June 3, the patient, a Viet Nam Airline pilot,  has gone 77 days of treatment in Viet Nam since he was admitted to the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases on March 18 and then transferred to Cho Ray Hospital since May 22.

Since his admission to the hospital, his testing results have been mixed. He weights 100 kg and 1.83 meters tall with body mass index (BMI) of 30.1.

Viet Nam entered the day 48^th without any new COVID-19 infection case in the community as of 8:30 am on June 3. 

Among 328 COVID-19 infection cases in Viet Nam, 298 have been cleared of the virus and recovered. The other 30 patients have been treated at central and local-level hospitals with stable condition. 

By Thuy Dung