Vietnam has built a scenario of having 50,000 people infected with SARS-CoV-2 as the fresh outbreak continues sweeping 41 out of 63 cities and provinces.

Vietnam's Covid-19 infections. Source: MoH. Chart: Minh Vu

The current health system for Covid-19 treatment works well and it would be capable to treat more, said Associate Prof. Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Ministry of Health (MoH)’s Administration of Medical Examination and Treatment.

“To that extent, we totally bring the pandemic under control,” he told Zing.

Before, Vietnam built a 30,000-infection scenario and has got ready for the situation by preparing both facilities and manpower.

Khue said that the ratio of Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms in Vietnam is about 65-70% [of 30,000 cases]. It means that around 7,000-8,000 patients with moderate symptoms need health supervision and treatment like high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy. Roughly 5-7% of the total, or 1,500 patients classified severe need intensive care like ventilator support, central oxygen supply, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

The health sector has also built makeshift hospitals which are equipped with intensive care units (ICU) in many localities nationwide to get ready for the treatment of higher infections. In addition, the MoH is making efforts to improve emergency and resuscitation capacity at grassroots levels to offer better treatment of Covid-19 patients, he said.

So far, Vietnam has recorded 12,414 confirmed cases, including 9,173 detected in the ongoing outbreak that flared up in late April.

Five localities having the highest infections are Bac Giang (5,083), Bac Ninh (1,470), Ho Chi Minh City (1,346), Hanoi (464), and Danang (158).

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son. Photo: Duy Hieu/Zing

At present, Ho Chi Minh City is facing the complication as some transmission sources that remain unknown and the community transmission likely happens in the time to come. Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son who leads a Standing Task Force in the city said if the infections approach 5,000, the city will build a makeshift hospital in Phu Tho Indoor Sports Stadium.

“The current options for isolation and treatment have been made and there are no sudden changes or changes in plans. If Ho Chi Minh City has more than 1,000 cases but is still under control, there is no need for city-wide social distancing,” Son told local media.

The city is on a two-week social distancing extension.

Regarding the inoculation, the National Standing Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on June 18 asked the MoH to speed up the vaccine purchase, vaccination, and domestic production.

Vietnam plans to offer both free and paid vaccination. The list of priority groups includes health workers and frontline forces; Vietnamese diplomats abroad; customs and state officials working in immigration service; armed forces; essential service providers; teachers and state employees of frequent contact with others; people with underlying diseases and those aged above 65; people in pandemic-hit areas; the poor and beneficiaries; and people in overseas missions.

The country targets to reach herd immunity by the year-end, according to the MoH.