Latest COVID-19 resurgence sees rapid spread of Delta variant: minister
The fourth wave of COVID-19 infections is witnessing the rapid spread of the Delta variant, at a speed twice or thrice as fast as that in the previous outbreaks, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said.
Health worker administers a shot of COVID-19 vaccine to a woman (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Thefourth wave of COVID-19 infections is witnessing the rapid spread of the Deltavariant, at a speed twice or thrice as fast as that in the previous outbreaks,Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said.
Vietnam recorded 38,726domestically infected cases in 58 provinces and cities between April 27, whenthe ongoing virus resurgence began, and July 17 morning. They included nearly22,000 cases in Ho Chi Minh City.
Long told a nationalteleconference on July 16 that many localities, especially HCM City and otherprovinces in the south, are facing extremely complicated outbreaks. The numbersof new cases and fatalities are likely to keep increasing on the coming days.
He blamed the fast spread ofthe Delta variant partly on the fact that certain localities have failed toenforce the Prime Minister’s Directive 16 in a serious manner.
Localities need to reviewtheir COVID-19 scenarios and gear up for more complex situations, the ministersaid, asking them to ready quarantine sites in which cross infection must be minimisedas the Delta variant is highly transmissible.
Regarding COVID-19vaccination, he said Vietnam has successfully negotiated for about 170 millionvaccine doses supplied by different sources.
Due to the global vaccineshortage, although some purchase contracts were signed in November 2020 andsome agreements made even in September last year, it is not until now that thecountry can receive vaccines. Late deliveries are forecast to continue untilSeptember this year, according to him.
In the short term, vaccineswill be prioritised for the provinces and cities currently hit by the pandemic,along with major socio-economic hubs, so as to concurrently curb the outbreaksand maintain economic development, Long added./.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long has sent a letter to Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to introduce T&t Group as the negotiator for the purchase of 40 million doses of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine from Russia.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has required southern localities to immediately set up support centres and hotlines to provide help to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic which has been spreading fast recently.
The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City held a ceremony to receive donations including 5 billion VND (217,773 USD) and 75,000 medical masks from a number of Consulates General and foreign enterprises in the locality for the city's COVID-19 prevention and control efforts.
The Ministry of Health on July 15 issued a decision conditionally approving the COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen produced by Johnson & Johnson for emergency use.
Vietnam logged in 1,438 new cases of COVID-19, all local infections from 7:30pm on July 15 to 6am on July 16, pushing the national count to 42,288, 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.
Health worker administers a shot of COVID-19 vaccine to a woman (Photo: VNA) 
