Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh Châu, deputy director of the Health Department, speaks at a press conference on the city’s plans for COVID treatment on Monday. — Photo courtesy of the HCM City Press Centre

HCM CITY — HCM City authorities have urged residents to continue complying with pandemic prevention measures while the city prepares four scenarios for COVID treatment depending on the number of cases recorded weekly.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Dr Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh Châu, deputy director of the city Health Department, said the number of new cases, deaths and severe cases has decreased over the past few weeks, with 73.5 cases per 100,000 people recorded per week. 

“The city is at level 2 or medium risk among the four levels of pandemic risk classified in the Government’s Resolution 128,” he said.

Although the city is officially classified at level 2, its COVID-prevention and control plans are at level 3 because of the high number of new cases, he said. 

“Based on the number of cases per 100,000 people per week, the city is at level 3.” 

More than 99 per cent of adults aged 18 and over have received at least one vaccine dose and more than 76 per cent are fully vaccinated. More than 91 per cent of people 65 and over in the city are fully immunised.

Châu said that everyone must continue to comply with prevention measures such as wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining a safe distance. 

Four scenarios

According to Châu, deputy director of the Health Department, the city has developed four scenarios of COVID treatment based on risk levels. 

In all scenarios, asymptomatic and mild COVID patients will be isolated and treated at home, and will be taken care of by mobile medical stations in wards, communes and townships.

In the first scenario (if the city contains the outbreak), the city will maintain one three-level treatment field hospital No. 16. It will also maintain COVID treatment facilities at hospitals such as the city’s Tropical Diseases Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Từ Dũ Hospital.

For the second scenario, if the number of new cases corresponds to risk level 2, in addition to field hospital No 16, the city will use field hospital No 13 for treatment. 

Field hospitals in city districts and COVID treatment facilities at hospitals in districts would also be used, as well as the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, two children pediatric hospitals, and Từ Dũ Hospital and Hùng Vương Hospital.

For the third scenario, if the number of new cases corresponds to risk level 3, the city will need all 135 mobile medical stations, each of which would manage 50-100 patients.

The city will also use all three three-floor field hospitals for treatment (instead of only one or two), including field hospitals No 13, 14, and 16.

The city will use additional hospitals for COVID treatment across districts and three COVID resuscitation hospitals at Chợ Rẫy Hospital, Hospital 175 and HCM City Tropical Diseases Hospital. 

For the worst scenario, if the number of new cases surges without sufficient control, the city will mobilise all hospitals and resuscitation centres in the city. All districts would be required to have one field hospital with a capacity of 300-500 beds for COVID treatment.

The city must have at least 16,000 - 19,000 beds for treatment, 500 oxygen beds, and 2,000 ICU beds for severe and critical cases. 

In addition to mobile medical stations, districts will establish community COVID treatment teams to meet the rising number of cases.

The four levels are low risk (new normal) or green, medium risk or yellow, high risk or orange, and very high risk or red.

Thủ Đức City and the eight districts of Gò Vấp, Tân Bình, 1, 7, 8, 10, Cần Giờ, and Củ Chi are at level 1.

Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, Phú Nhuận, Bình Thạnh, Tân Phú, Hóc Môn, Nhà Bè, and Bình Chính are at level 2. Bình Tân is at level 3.

The assessment of risk levels will be regularly updated on https://covid19.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/bando and https://bando.tphcm.gov.vn every week.

Phan Văn Mãi, chairman of the People’s Committee, said districts would be allowed to reopen the economy based on their risk levels. 

Many of the recent COVID-19 cases are people returning from other provinces and cities to work, according to city authorities. — VNS