Deputy PM urges more drastic actions against COVID-19
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said though complicated, the COVID-19 pandemic has been basically under control, but more drastic actions are needed.
Hanoi (VNA) ꩲ– Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said thoughcomplicated, the COVID-19 pandemic has been basically under control, but moredrastic actions are needed.
During a meeting in Hanoi on May 4, Dam, who is also head of theNational Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, said thisoutbreak is different from the previous three ones due to pressure from thesouthwestern border and quicker spread of new variants from India. He also reiterated a need to prepare for a plan in response to ascenario of having 30,000 infection cases, adding that all must strive to notmake it happen. Dam ordered that from 0:00 on May 4, all who have finished 14-dayquarantine in concentrated facilities and tested negative for the coronavirus twicemust temporarily stay there. It is a must to enhance the monitoring of the pandemic in the community,zone off affected areas and wipe it out as soon as possible, he said. Warning of illegal entries across the border, he called onborder guards, authorities and mass organisations from border provinces to keepa close watch over immigrants. Speaking at the event, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long urgedlocalities to seriously follow directions of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat, Government, PrimeMinister, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control aswell as guidelines of the Health Ministry, ministries and agencies concernedbecause the transmission risk is very high. He underscored a need to continue following the 5K principle,including compulsory mask wearing in public places.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
According to him, the Health Ministry is stepping upnegotiations to bring vaccines to Vietnam and facilitate technological transferto produce vaccines at home.
The ministry reported that as of May 4, the world recorded morethan 153 million COVID-19 cases, including over 3.2 million deaths.
𒆙 As of 6pm on the day, Vietnam logged a total of 2,996 cases, 1,608 of which werelocally transmitted. There were 38 new cases from April 27./.
An Indian expert, who works for local automaker Vinfast, has been confirmed with COVID-19 in Hanoi, the municipal Centre for Disease Control said on May 4.
Vietnam’s assistance for Laos in the COVID-19 combat was handed over at a ceremony held at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane capital city on May 4 morning.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Laos on May 4 handed over gifts to Vietnamese students at the National University of Laos (NUOL) who are facing difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eleven cases of COVID-19 were reported during the past 12 hours to 6pm May 4, including one domestically-transmitted case, according to the Health Ministry.
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.
At the meeting (Photo: VNA) 
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) 
