"It means monitoring and taking care of asymptomatic patients plays a vital role," Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said Monday.

Medical workers at a hospital ward for severe Covid-19 cases in HCMC's Thu Duc City, July 19, 2021.

There have been reports of Covid-19 cases turning severe so quickly they could not be wheeled to hospitals in time and died at home, with Son remarking it "truly hurts." People need to be more informed of the early signs of symptoms, and there needs to be people to make diagnoses and transfer patients to hospitals and other medical facilities, he added.

"Ho Chi Minh City has requested certain taxi services to aid with the task by going to locked down areas and homes where Covid-19 patients stay," he said.

For now, as all close contacts of coronavirus cases are self-isolated at home, local quarantine zones would have more room to receive new patients, Son said. The health ministry has also allowed mild Covid-19 cases to have their treatment time shortened and be discharged early, which also helps lighten the load, he added.

As the world learns more about the coronavirus and the disease it causes, there have also been changes to Vietnam's Covid-19 response. For example, it has updated its Covid-19 treatment plan for severe cases in accordance with new scientific research and prepared more early intervention methods like oxygen support at hospitals and other medical facilities, Son said.

"Some medications doctors used to treat Covid-19 in its later stages, like blood thinners and corticoids, are now being recommended for earlier uses," he said, adding other measures like antibiotics or ECMO are also being used earlier on.

Regarding the coronavirus situation in HCMC, Son said the outbreak in the southern city is still progressing in a complicated way. With ongoing lockdown and social distancing measures, infections will eventually subside, but how long such measures would last depends on people's compliance, local management and efforts from the healthcare system, he added.

Official statistics from the HCMC Department of Health revealed that asymptomatic and mild Covid-19 cases account for around 80 percent of all infections. The southern metropolis has recorded 68,271 local cases in the fourth coronavirus wave since late April, the worst-hit locality in the entire country.

Vietnam's coronavirus tally in the new wave is now 105,287.

HCMC prepares for 80,000 Covid patients scenario

HCMC, epicenter of the ongoing outbreak, is preparing to add more public hospitals for Covid treatment or mobilize private hospitals as the number of infections tops 80,000.

HCMC hospital sends home 190 Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms

Field Hospital No. 1 in HCMC has discharged more than 1,721 Covid-19 patients, 190 of whom show low viral concentration.

HCMC pandemic relief package to cover 27,000 more

An additional 27,000 informal laborers who had lost their jobs in HCMC will gain access to a Covid-19 relief fund.

High-speed boats to deliver Mekong Delta produce, medical supplies to HCMC

Five high-speed boats would carry food and medical equipment from Mekong Delta to HCMC starting Monday to aid residents during the social distancing period.

HCMC Covid-19 relief package reaches 220,000 informal workers

Around 220,000 people working mostly as street vendors and garbage collectors in HCMC have received a total of VND330 billion ($14.32 million) from a Covid-19 relief package.

Source: VnExpress