>>> Number of COVID-19 cases remains at 268 as of April 17 morning
>>> Vietnam announces five more COVID-19 recoveries on April 16
The latest recoveries bring the total number of successfully treated cases in Vietnam to 198 out of 268 infections so far, meaning nearly three quarters of total positive cases have recovered (accounting for 74%).
Seventeen of these were treated at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Base 2 in Hanoi, including patients No. 108, 128, 133, 139, 169, 172, 173, 174, 183, 191, 213, 217, 219, 221, 223, 242 and 251.
All of them are Vietnamese, of which Patient 183 is the first female reporter to have contracted the coronavirus in Vietnam. In addition, three others, Patients No. 169, 174 and 191, are employees of Truong Sinh Co., Ltd. – the service provider for Hanoi’s Bach Mai Hospital which was so far one of the largest hotspots for COVID-19.
With an additional 17 patients declared as recovered today, the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Base 2 has successfully treated a total of 98 cases (including five in the first phase of the epidemic).
 |
Patient 229 is being discharged from the Nho Quan District General Hospital in Ninh Binh Province on April 17, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Le Hong)
The same day, one patient who had received treatment at Nho Quan District’s General Hospital in the northern province of Ninh Binh was also released, after the 30-year-old Vietnamese female (Patient 229) showed three consecutive negative test results for SARS-CoV-2 from April 10 to 14.
Three remaining patients (Patients 105, 106 and 144, all Vietnamese) were declared to have fully recovered by the Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospital in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh, following their three negative tests.
 |
Three patients declared to have fully recovered by the Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospital in Tra Vinh Province on April 17, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Manh Tran)
All will continue to be quarantined for the next 14 days and have their health regularly monitored.
The remaining 70 patients receiving ongoing treatment are in a stable condition. Among them, three critically ill patients (No. 19, 91 and 161) have been showing positive signs of improvement.
Hanoi to organise COVID-19 test for traders at local wholesale markets
Hanoi will organise COVID-19 testing for traders at local wholesale markets this weekend, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung announced on April 17.
During an online meeting of the Hanoi Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control this morning, Chung informed that testing for traders at some local markets such as Long Bien market, the southern wholesale market and Ha Vi poultry market is necessary as these are crowded places.
Chung informed that on April 18 and 19, local authorities will take samples from both sellers and shoppers in such markets to make a source of data for assessment of the infection rate in the capital city, where 112 cases have been confirmed so far.
He also urged continuous implementation of disease preventive measures, including those in the Prime Minister's Directive 16 on social restrictions. Local authorities were asked to encourage Hanoians to increase the use of online public services, online commerce and limit cash use, as well as limiting crowded activities, regularly checking health and limiting contact when having health problems.
 |
Chairman of the Hanoi Municipal People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung speaks at a meeting of the city’s Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control on the morning of April 17, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Nguyen Trang)
In parallel with the COVID-19 fight, local units are also required to implement measures regarding economic development, social security, expanding online learning and preparing plans to welcome students back to schools. The city will conduct a review to support household businesses, traders and freelance workers that have been severely affected by the disease, based on the Government's direction to deploy recently-approved support packages, Chung affirmed.
Terminating operation of Vinh Phuc field hospital
The People's Committee of Vinh Phuc Province has decided to terminate the operation of a concentrated isolation facility for COVID-19 treatment at Vinh Phuc Provincial Field Hospital.
Earlier, on February 13, due to the complicated development of the disease and 11 positive cases detected in Vinh Phuc, together with the blockage over Son Loi Commune in Binh Xuyen District, the province decided to set up a 300-bed field hospital at a local arts and culture school located on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in Vinh Yen City.
According to the decision to terminate the hospital’s operation, local medical units are responsible for organising and monitoring medical isolation until April 24 for the staff members of the field hospital.
