UK COVID-19 variant found in patients in Hai Duong, Quang Ninh
A new and more contagious variant of COVID-19 from the UK was found in patients in the northern provinces of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh, according to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
A COVID-19 treatment establishment in Hai Duong province (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - A new and more contagious variant of COVID-19 fromthe UK was found in patients in the northern provinces of Hai Duong and QuangNinh, according to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
Eleven out of the 16 samples tested by scientists from the institute has 17signature mutations of the super-spreader B.1.1.7 strain that was firstdiscovered in the UK in December 2020.
The new virus strain is said to spread more quickly than previous variants ofthe coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. It has caused a surge in the number of COVID-19 infections inthe UK as well as other European countries. The variant has been present in 60countries worldwide as of January 17.
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City said on February 1 that Patient 1,660 from the northern province of Hai Duong was infected with theB.1.1.7 strain. He is under treatment at the city’s Cu Chi COVID-19 treatment hospital.
Earlier, a female worker from Vietnam Poyun Electronics Co.,Ltd was found withthe B.1.1.7 variant when arriving in Japan last month.
The highly contagious coronavirus variant that originate in South Africa wasalso found in an important case in December 2020, according to the the NationalInstitute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
Vietnam has so far recorded 1,851SARS-CoV-2 infections. Of the total, 964 were locally-transmitted cases,including 271 linked with Hai Duong since the latest coronavirus outbreak hitthe province on January 27./.
Cai Bau island in Van Don district in the northern province of Quang Ninh has been put under temporary lockdown as from 0:00 on February 2 in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long has requested Hanoi authorities to consider the establishment of a special hospital to treat COVID-19 patients, given the rapid spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
Authorities in Hanoi have ordered the temporary closure of online game and internet shops from February 2 early morning, as part of the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the city, according to Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung.
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 COVID-19 treatment establishment in Hai Duong province (Photo: VNA) 
