Vietnam has no new COVID-19 cases on October 20 morning
Vietnam logged zero new COVID-19 cases within the past 12 hours as of 6 a.m. on October 20, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.
Blood samples collected to test for COVID-19 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam logged zero newCOVID-19 cases within the past 12 hours as of 6 a.m. on October 20, accordingto the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.
The country has documented 1,140 SARS-CoV-2 infections so far.
Of the total, 691 were infected with the virusdomestically, including 551 linked with Da Nang city since the latestcoronavirus wave began there on July 25.
As many as 1,046 patients have recovered and 35 died from complications relatedto the disease. Most of the fatalities were the elderly with serious underlyinghealth conditions.
Among the patients still under treatment, 10 have testednegative for SARS-CoV-2 once, three twice and five thrice. Currently, there isno patient in critical conditions.
There are 13,537 people having close contact withconfirmed cases or coming from pandemic-hit region under quarantine at present,including 148 in hospitals, 12,277 in concentrated quarantine sites and 1,112at home or accommodation facilities.
According to the Ministry of Health, the outbreak has been put under control. However,as the coronavirus may get worse during the winter-spring season, the ministryrecommends people to continue wearing face masks and washing hands withsanitiser regularly./.
Two cases of COVID-19, all imported, were recorded in the afternoon of October 17, raising the total count to 1,126, according to the Ministry of Health.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Vietnam remained at 1,126 on October 18 morning as no new infections were recorded over the last 12 hours, according to the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control.
Vietnam confirmed eight new imported COVID-19 cases from 6am-6pm on October 18, according to the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control.
Vietnam has gone through the 47th straight day without any COVID-19 infections in the community, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced on October 19 afternoon.
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.
Blood samples collected to test for COVID-19 (Photo: VNA) 
