Most COVID-19 fatalities in Vietnam aged more than 50: Health Ministry
VOV.VN - More than 30,000 patients have died of COVID-19 and underlying illnesses in Vietnam, with 84% of them aged 50 and above, according to the Health Examination and Treatment Agency under the Ministry of Health.
Ho Chi Minh City topped localities in death toll, making up approximately two thirds of the total, followed by Binh Duong, Dong Nai, An Giang, Tien Giang, Long An, Tay Ninh, Can Tho, Dong Thap and Kien Giang, all in the south.
With more than four fifths of fatalities falling into the group of patients aged 50 and above, solutions are need to protect this high risk group, said Assoc. Prof. & Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Health Examination and Treatment Agency, at a workshop in Hanoi on December 29.
Khue also revealed that most of the patients are receiving treatment in southern localities, with Ho Chi Minh City taking the lead at 51,726 cases, followed by Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ca Mau, Can Tho, Tra Vinh, Dong Thap and Tay Ninh.
Meanwhile, the number of severe cases is the highest in Dong Nai at 3,246, trailed by Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Long An, An Giang, Binh Duong, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, and Dong Thap.
Khue also said among nearly 1.7 million documented infections in Vietnam, 85.7% are mild and asymptomatic.
At the workshop, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son asked treatment facilities to closely monitor patients’ health in order to make an early prognosis and promptly detect signs of deterioration.
It’s essential to keep a close watch on high-risk areas to early detect, isolate and treat infections effectively, contributing to reducing deaths, said Son.
He asked health facilities to enhance their capability to receive and treat patients, and at the same time ensure adequate medications and medical supplies to support treatment.