The number of Covid-19 patients in Hanoi has increased sharply with many new outbreaks, with more than 200 cases recorded over the last seven consecutive days [from November 17 to 23], according to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC Hanoi).

The center reported the highest number detected in a day is 286 cases while the lowest is 217, adding that most of new Covid-19 cases were local infections.  

Hanoi currently has 12 complicated coronavirus outbreaks, the biggest one is Phu Do Ward in Nam Tu Liem District which bears a very high coronavirus risk. Besides, the two new Covid-19 clusters have appeared in industrial zones in 2 districts of Me Linh and Quoc Oai. Workers were found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 via periodic testing.

The CDC Hanoi stressed that the city’s coronavirus situation is alarming with an upward trend of new cases of infections. Therefore, Hanoi has ramped up its Covid-19 treatment capabilities.

From November 17, Hanoi piloted the home isolation of people who are exposed to Covid-19 patients across the city, excepting for the four inner districts of Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Dong Da, and Hai Ba Trung.

The municipal Department of Health has also guided the treatment of asymptomatic or mild Covid-19 patients at makeshift health stations in districts and towns.

A medical staff takes samples to test for Covid-19 at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. Photo: Ngoc Tu

Director of the Hanoi Department of Health Tran Thi Nhi Ha said the districts with new Covid-19 outbreaks need to further strengthen solutions to prevent the pandemic, adding that even fully vaccinated individuals should keep their guards up, as vaccines alone would only help lessen severity, not infection rates.

She predicted that Covid-19 cases will increase during the upcoming New Year and Lunar New Year holidays.

“The department is developing a scenario of 100,000 Covid-19 patients. If  30,000 cases or more were confirmed, the city will carry out four levels of treatment for the Covid-19 patients, including treatment at city hospitals, district hospitals, health centers and  at home depending on the severity. The Department of Health is piloting treating mild Covid-19 patients at home,” Ha told The Hanoi Times.

She cited that Hanoi has created five facilities to treat mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 cases in five districts, with around 1,150 beds in total. They are located at either cultural and sports centers, schools, or local clinics.

"Plans are prepared so the health stations could be activated as soon as the city requests. Along with quick contact tracing efforts, they would help prevent outbreaks from spreading," Ha added.

Regarding Covid-19 vaccination for children aged below 18, Ha said that Hanoi started vaccinating children on November 23, becoming the 23rd locality in the country to do so. More than 33,600 children aged 15-17 got their first Pfizer shot. Around 1.8 million infants, or 20% of children in the 12-17 age group in Vietnam, have received at least one shot, while 4,300 got two.

Hanoi has vaccinated more than 6.1 million people, or 93.65% of its adult population, with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot. As many as 5.1 million people have received two shots, or 70.44% of the adult population, according to Ha.

The capital city has so far recorded over 7,300 Covid-19 patients and 54 deaths in the fourth coronavirus wave since late April.

Since the flaring up in Vietnam of the fourth outbreak almost seven months ago, more than 1.11 million people have been infected. Of them, 908,493 have recovered.