173 COVID-19 patients in critical condition, 13 rely on ECMO
VOV.VN - Vietnam has recorded a high number of COVID-19 patients in a critical condition, with 172 cases labelled as severely ill, and 13 relying on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a life support therapy given to critically-ill patients.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has said 120 cases currently require oxygen support, of whom 35 are undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation, 17 needing high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), and 13 on ECMO machines.
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City has alone recorded the highest number of patients relying on ECMO with four cases.
One of the severe cases involves a 54-year-old patient from Nga Son district in Thanh Hoa province. The patient has seen his lungs rapidly deteriorate since he was diagnosed with the virus, and experts warned of a severe risk to his life.
However, to doctors’ surprise, the patient has gradually recovered and is now in a stable health condition.
Data from the MoH show Vietnam currently has 7,000 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at 97 medical facilities nationwide. The Field Hospital in Bac Giang province is treating the largest number of active cases at 807.
