COVID-19 pandemic situation in HCMC shows initial positive signs

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam chairs an online meeting with leaders of Ho Chi Minh City on the pandemic prevention and control work in the southern metropolis, August 11, 2021 - Photo: VGP

From August 4-10, the city reported an average of 3,756 COVID-19 cases per day, and 81 percent of whom were uncovered at lockdown or quarantine areas while the rest were detected at hospitals. 

The infection coefficient at present was estimated at 0.78 percent, lower than the figures recorded in May, early July and early August with 3-3.5 percent, 1.7-2 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. 

The city has joined hand with the Ministry of Health to operate four more intensive care unit (ICU) centers with 1,750 beds while establishing five satellite emergency facilities supporting the city’s 115 Emergency Center. 

The southern metropolis completed disbursement of the first assistance package worth VND700 billion to support those affected by COVID-19. The another VND900 billion-assistance package is being launched.  

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy PM Dam asked the city to prepare enough treatment space for COVID-19 patients while providing credit support for disadvantaged people during social distancing period. 

He highlighted the need to create most favorable conditions to ensure a smooth and safe circulation of commodities. 

Regarding vaccine supply for the city, Vu affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City is always given the highest priority in vaccine access, requesting the municipal authorities to prepare for resumption of production and manufacturing once all residents are fully vaccinated. 

The chart manifesting the number of daily new COVID-19 cases in Ho Chi Minh City from August 4-11 tends to go flat as the city has undergone 73 days of social distancing.

Earlier on May 31, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee began to impose a 15-day social distancing across the city in accordance with the Government's Directive No. 15/CT-TTg.

Between April 27 when the fourth wave of COVID-19 resurgence began and May 30, the city recorded 108 positive cases, most of them linked to the Revival Ekklesia Mission in Go Vap district.

On July 9, the city was placed under social distancing under the Government’s Directive No. 16 for 15 days. From May 30-July 7, the city reported 8,043 additional locally-transmitted infection cases.

Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong decided to ban people from going out between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. from July 26. Despite going through 17 days of social distancing under Directive No.16, the city still recorded thousands of new COVID-19 patients each day, making the southern metropolis the current epicenter of the fourth COVID-19 wave. On July 27, the it recorded the highest number of daily new cases of 6,318.

On August 2, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong decided to extend the imposition of social distancing rules in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 16 by another two weeks.

As of early August 12, Ho Chi Minh City reported 135,224 community infection cases, including 3,582 deaths.

The city’s COVID-19 caseload accounts for nearly 56 percent of the national patient tally (241,543)./.

By Thuy Dung