HCM City advised to stay vigilant against new COVID-19 variants
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has warned Ho Chi Minh City to stay vigilant against COVID-19 as risks of community transmission of new variants remains considerable.
The meeting between the MoH delegation and the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases on January 31 (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – TheMinistry of Health (MoH) has warned Ho Chi Minh City to stay vigilant againstCOVID-19 as risks of community transmission of new variants remainsconsiderable.
On January 31, an MoH delegation inspected COVID-19 response at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the health centre ofDistrict 3, and the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
They said the southern metropolisperformed well in pandemic prevention and control during the Lunar New Year (Tet)holiday in late January. However, as new variants are likely to enter and spreadin the community after Tet, it needs to have plans readied for preventing disease transmission.
Dr Nguyen Vu Thuong, Deputy Directorof the HCM City Pasteur Institute and a member of the MoH delegation, cited theWorld Health Organisation as saying that COVID-19 remains a global healthemergency, and the most worrying thing is vaccine- and drug-resistant variants.
Though the number of hospitalised casesin the city has fallen sharply, but new variants may spread in the community andattack the elderly and unvaccinated persons, he noted.
He suggested local authorities issuestrong recommendations at tourist attractions and places of worship to remindpeople of wearing face masks, and increase communications to encourage locals toget vaccinated against the disease.
As of January 31, Vietnam recorded 11,526,497 cases of COVID-19, including 10,612,462 recoveries and 43,186 deaths.
Meanwhile, over 266.09 million doses of COVID-19vaccine were administered, according to the MoH./.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong has emphasised the necessity to strengthen supervision and take more samples for COVID-19 testing at border gates besides maintaining the current pandemic prevention and control measures as usual.
Chief Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Vietnam Dr Angela Pratt on January 6 warned that the fight against COVID-19 is not over yet as many people are getting infected, hospitalised, and dead in many countries around the world.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has demanded enhancing the detection, reception, management, and treatment of COVID-19 cases as the pandemic remains complex around the world.
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.
The meeting between the MoH delegation and the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases on January 31 (Photo: VNA) 
