Four more local infections of COVID-19 confirmed on August 19 evening
Vietnam reported four new locally infected cases of the coronavirus on August 19 evening, raising the total to 993, according to the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control.
A health worker of Hanoi's Cau Giay district takes a throat swab from a boy recently returning from Da Nang for COVID-19 testing (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam reported four new locallyinfected cases of the coronavirus on August 19 evening, raising the total to993, according to the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention andcontrol.
Of the new patients, two are female medicalworkers in the central city of Da Nang, with the 25-year-old one at the GiaDinh (Family) General Hospital and the other, 37, at the Da Nang Hospital.
Another case is a 34-year-old man in Cam Thanhcommune of Hoi An city, central Quang Nam province. His wife was earlierconfirmed as a COVID-19 patient and used to undergo treatment at the Da NangHospital.
The fourth case is a 40-year-old woman in TanBinh ward of Hai Duong city, the northern province of Hai Duong. She previouslyhad close contact with two other COVID-19 patients linked with the hotbed onNgo Quyen street of Hai Duong city.
Also on August 19, there were 13 patientsdischarged from hospital, raising the number of recoveries so far to 533.
Among those still under treatment, 33 havetested negative for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once, 36 twice, and 29 othersthrice.
Of all COVID-19 cases, 653 are local infections,including 513 related to Da Nang since the latest outbreak began there on July25.
As many as 81,585 people having close contactwith confirmed cases or coming from pandemic-hit regions are under quarantineat present./.
Patient 418, who had tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 four times on August 4, 10, 11 and 12, died on August 12 due to complications of chronic renal failure at the Hue Central Hospital, the Health Ministry’s special task force for COVID-19 prevention and control reported on August 18.
All restaurants and cafes in Hanoi must strictly follow regulations on COVID-19 prevention or face closure, said Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ngo Van Quy.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has decided to allocate disinfectant from the national reserves to help ministries, sectors and localities to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Public Security should work with the People’s Procuracy and the People's Court to sue individuals who illegally enter the city in a bid to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, said a top official.
Seven COVID-19 patients were given the all-clear and released from hospitals in central Thua Thien-Hue province and nearby Da Nang city on August 19 after testing negative to SARS-CoV-2 between three and eight times.
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.
A health worker of Hanoi's Cau Giay district takes a throat swab from a boy recently returning from Da Nang for COVID-19 testing (Photo: VNA) 
