More support to repel COVID-19

More donations have been sent to the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee to support the fight against COVID-19 in the country.

Samsung Vietnam donates VND7 billion to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee to support the fight against COVID-19, Hanoi, April 7, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Lien Huong)
Samsung Vietnam donates VND7 billion to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee to support the fight against COVID-19, Hanoi, April 7, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Lien Huong)

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On Tuesday afternoon (April 7), Tran Thanh Man, President of the VFF Central Committee received a donation worth VND7 billion from Samsung Vietnam.

Man praised the meaningful support from Korean businesses along with the Party and State of Vietnam in pushing back the epidemic. He also acknowledged the efforts from Samsung Vietnam in taking effective measures to respond to the call from the VFF in preventing and fighting COVID-19.

* On the same day, Man presented VND150 billion sourced from the funding campaign to the Ministry of Health for purchasing medical equipment and supplies to fight against COVID-19. Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long received the financial allocation from the VFF president.

Man said that in the three weeks since the campaign launching, the total value of cash and goods sent to the VFF had reached over VND770 billion, while the amount donated by message via the National Humanitarian Portal was VND129 billion.

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man (R) presents VND150 billion donated from donors to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, serving the ministry work in COVID fight, Hanoi, April 7, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Nguyen Minh)

* The Health Ministry on April 7 received medical supplies for SARS-CoV-2 testing worth US$1 million from real estate group CapitaLand. The supplies include chemicals and the Vietnam-made LightPower iVASARS-CoV-2 1stRT-rPCR PLUS KIT (VA.A02-055G) test kits.

* On April 7, the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) presented VND1 billion to support Hanoi in preventing and fighting COVID-19. By this time, TKV has provided VND11.5 billion to the VFF and localities for epidemic prevention and control.

* The same day, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Lam Dong Province received a Realtime PCR system to serve testing for SARS-CoV-2, donated by Hung Phat Company Limited (in Da Lat City, Lam Dong) worth nearly VND1 billion and 200 test kits (worth about VND300 million).

* The VFF Committee of Vinh Phuc Province has said that after nearly two months of mobilising support since the disease outbreak in Vinh Phuc, the province has received the support of nearly 50 organisations, businesses and individuals worth more than VND10 billion.

* On April 7, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Military Technology Academy (under the Ministry of Defence) agreed to unanimously propose the Ministry of Health to consider allowing a new robot developed by the academy to be used in medical isolation facilities, with the ability to transport drugs, food and garbage, as well as capable of monitoring and exchanging with patients by remote control. The Vibot-1a robot was developed as a project for its test run at Bac Thang Long Hospital in Hanoi from March 23.

A representatives from the Military Technology Academy (L) introduces the Vibot-1a robot to doctors of Bac Thang Long Hospital. (Photo: NDO/An Ha)

* On Tuesday morning, the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Defence said that the army had deployed 142 venues to receive and quarantine people returning from foreign countries hit by the epidemic, with 66,138 people having been isolated thus far, of which 54,465 have since been released.

* On Tuesday afternoon, Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung authorised Me Linh District People's Committee to issue a decision to blockade Ha Loi hamlet in Me Linh commune, where the 243rd COVID-19 infected person resides. Hanoi also assigned Me Linh authorities to conduct all communications and ensure necessities for more than 457 households with over 1,800 people during the blockade.

* On Tuesday, over 650 citizens finished their medical quarantine at concentrated isolation camps in the provinces of Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Nghe An.

Citizens granted quarantine completion certificates in Tien Giang Province on April 7, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Anh Tuan)

* National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has launched a programme offering free travel for health workers engaged in epidemic prevention and control work and the transport of medical equipment on its domestic routes, it said on April 7. From April 9 until April 30, the airline will present free air tickets to doctors, nurses and health experts who are sent on missions related to the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.

* The Health Ministry confirmed two new cases of COVID-19 in early morning April 8, taking the total number to 251.

Of the two new patients, both Vietnamese, one had close contact with patient 243 and is now hospitalised at the second branch of the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi.

According to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, three patients are scheduled to be given the all-clear on April 8.

Up until now, a total of 122 people with COVID-19 have been declared as recovered.

Dong Thap Provincial leaders congratulate four COVID-19 patients on their discharge after 16 days of treatment at Sa Dec General Hospital, April 7, 2020. They are among an additional 27 COVID-19 patients announced as recovered from the disease on that day. (Photo: NDO/Huu Nghia)

Vietnam currently has three COVID-19 cases in critical condition, including patient No. 161, 88, with underlying diseases and cerebral haemorrhage, and patient No. 91, a foreign pilot for Vietnam Airlines who needs support from an ECMO machine.

On Tuesday afternoon, leading medical experts gathered at an online meeting to discuss the diagnosis and treatment of those severe patients. The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control is determined to mobilise all modern equipment and the best medicine for hospitals to treat such patients, with saving their lives being the top priority.