Medical workers talk to residents before COVID-19 vaccinations in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - As the number of COVID-19 cases isincreasing, experts have issued new warnings on the importanceof preventive measures and vaccine boosters.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) reported nearly 1,300 new cases ofCOVID-19 on Thursday, an increase of 100 cases from the day before. Thenew cases were mainly due to the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of theOmicron strain.
Associate professor Tran Dac Phu, former director of the General Department ofPreventive Medicine under the MoH, said that the easing of anti-pandemicmeasures and neglect of preventive measures were behind the increase.
“People do not wear masks and do not take preventive measures, even inhigh-risk areas. Those with symptoms also do not quarantine, do not make amedical declaration, and do not get tested, so they do not know if they haveCOVID-19 or not,” said Phu.
He added that the number of new cases was not exact, because testing wasno longer carried out, so asymptomatic cases were not included in thetotal.
Phu believes it is important to protect people at high-risk, such as thosewith underlying diseases, the elderly, and people who have not received a fullcourse of vaccine.
Effective protective measures are still disinfection, wearing masks inhigh-risk areas such as hospitals and crowded places, or avoiding contact withinfected people.
It is necessary to have booster doses of the vaccine to limit the number of newcases and avoid overloading the healthcare system.
Phu said that the health sector must properly assess the risk based on thereal number of infections in their managed areas. They should assess severecases and those under treatment.
“We have loosened preventive measures but still have to ensure control,”he said.
Phu said booster jabs were crucial in preventing the disease, avoidingsevere cases, preventing the health system from becoming overloaded andreducing mortality.
“We must educate people on the vaccines, especially the elderly and peoplewith underlying diseases," said Phu.
Vietnam still has 21.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in stock, mainly Pfizerand Moderna vaccines, said Duong Thi Hong, deputy director of the NationalInstitute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
The rate of booster doses for children over 12 had notreached the plan, she said. And the rate of basic doses for children betweenfive and under 12 years old was also the same./.
It is becoming difficult to ensure the quantity and quality of workforce for the tourism sector after the COVID-19 pandemic. The sector needs an influx of quality staff to meet the needs of the rising tourism industry.
The national caseload of COVID-19 reached 10,766,128 on July 22 with 1,142 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health.
The national caseload of COVID-19 reached 10,767,200 on July 23 with 1,071 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health.
Vietnam now boasts a nationwide healthcare network with 1,665 hospitals, 384 of which are non-public, supported by local commune- and ward-level stations. At the end of 2024, hospital bed capacity reached 34 per 10,000 people, slightly above the global average.
The 56-year-old patient from Quang Tri province was discharged in stable condition as he no longer experienced shortness of breath and was able to walk, move around, and eat normally.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute, said that under the MoU, the two sides committed to promoting diverse and practical collaborative activities, including joint conferences and workshops, exchanges of scholars, researchers and students, sharing academic materials, and the development of specific programmes and projects in scientific research, training, and epidemic prevention.
TytoCare, a leading Israeli telemedicine company based in Netanya, is willing to work with Vietnamese regulators, insurers, and healthcare providers to develop a sustainable digital health ecosystem.
The partnership is under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding on the development and implementation of the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control, signed in Hanoi on July 22.
An estimated 7 million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50% remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
In 2024, Vietnam achieved 99% coverage for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, up from 80% in 2023. Immunisation coverage in the country has not only rebounded to the high levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed the rates recorded in 2019.
Health authorities in HCM City have issued an urgent alert after six people died from dengue fever, amid a spike in infections driven by the onset of the rainy season.
During the peak months of July and August 2025, the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) needs at least 90,000 units of blood to supply 180 hospitals in the northern region. However, despite continuous efforts, the reserve blood is still short of 30,000 units.
The Hanoi ceremony highlighted efforts to ensure all citizens, especially women and youth, can access accurate information and healthcare services to make informed reproductive choices.
After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
Currently, cardiovascular specialists from the 108 Military Central Hospital are working alongside a team of Prof.Dr. Jan D. Schmitto, Deputy Director of MHH’s Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery on clinical trials for MCS devices, implanted in heart failure patients either as a bridge to transplantation or as permanent treatment.
The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the HCM CIty Department of Health.
Not only does Vietnam attract international tourists with its landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but it is also gradually becoming a reliable destination for medical treatment, offering high-quality services at reasonable costs.
Over the past six months, 150 communal health stations in provinces including Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Ben Tre and Ca Mau have been equipped with information technology systems. In addition, 117 key provincial healthcare workers have received training, with thousands more expected to follow.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Health swiftly launched a telemedicine programme, connecting more than 1,000 medical establishments nationwide. The model, which remains in operation, has benefited tens of thousands of patients, including foreign nationals.
After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
Medical workers talk to residents before COVID-19 vaccinations in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. (Photo: VNA) 
