COVID-19 deaths on the rise again in Vietnam

The recent five-day national break from April 29 to May 3 saw 11 such fatalities added to the national database, not to mention other severe F0 cases who passed away in their homes as opposed to at hospital.

The majority of the fatalities include high-risk groups that comprise of elderly people, people suffering from underlying illnesses, and those who have not received full vaccine shots.

The case announced on April 29 is a 45-year-old resident of Bac Giang province who died of COVID-19 on the back of cirrhosis which was detected two years ago. The patient had recently received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Another COVID-19 patient was a 54 resident of Binh Duong province who died of COVID-19 and heart-related issues after receiving treatment at Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital for nearly a week.

According to a health professional at the Ministry of Health, the recent increasing number of fresh infections has led to a rise in the number of COVID-19 deaths.

Statistics show currently more than 120 severe patients require mechanical ventilation at medical facilities in order to sustain their life. May 1 alone saw 123 cases put on mechanical ventilation, a number double the previous day’s figure.

High-risk groups will certainly face a high risk of severity and death in the event that they are infected with the SARS-nCoV-2 virus, said the health professional.

Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan, head of the Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health, pointed out that the Omicron variant has been tracked for more than a year with more sub-variants recorded around the world.

Vietnam has detected most sub-variants of the Omicron variant which spreads faster but shows milder clinical symptoms compared to previously recorded virus strains. However, a new variant after Omicron has not been detected yet.

At present most people received their vaccine shots a long time ago, but they were concerned about the reduced effectiveness of the vaccine over time.

High-risk groups should be given priority in terms of vaccination because they are most vulnerable to disease severity and death when their immunity is reduced, said Prof. Dr. Lan.

Despite a rising number of fresh infections and deaths, medical facilities are capable of receiving and treating patients. Medical experts have also reassured people that it is unlikely that a new outbreak will occur, although they stressed the need to get full vaccine shots in order to limit the risk of severe disease and death.

People have also been advised to strictly follow health recommendations, including wearing face masks and practicing disinfection in public places.