Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh Châu, deputy director of the HCM City's Department of Health, speaks at a meeting on COVID-19 prevention and control on Thursday . Photo laodong.vn

HCM CITY — The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations in HCM City has increased slightly over the past two weeks, with most hospitalised patients having mild symptoms, according to a survey conducted by the city’s Department of Health.

Eighty-six per cent of hospitalised patients have had either one or two vaccine doses, and the remaining 14 per cent of patients are unvaccinated. Ninety per cent of unvaccinated patients are under 18 years old.

The patients with mild symptoms, including some with underlying health conditions, have been sent to level-two hospitals, which are part of the five-level admission and treatment plan for COVID-19 patients.

Another survey conducted by the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases in October found that 45 per cent of 349 patients had mild symptoms, and the remaining 55 per cent of patients with severe symptoms needed ventilators or ECMO intervention.

In the unvaccinated group, 74 per cent of patients had severe symptoms and the remaining 26 per cent had mild symptoms. Fifty-one severe cases were on ventilators, and three severe cases required ECMO intervention.

In the vaccinated (one or two doses) group, 40 per cent of patients had severe symptoms and 60 per cent had mild symptoms. Twelve per cent of fully vaccinated patients and 49 per cent of people with one vaccine dose had severe symptoms.

Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh Châu, deputy director of the city’s Department of Health, said the number of new infections and hospitalisations in the city had bounced back in the past two weeks.

Châu attributed the number of rising cases to the return of unvaccinated migrant workers to the city and the lifting of COVID-19 related restrictions.

Most of the positive cases detected in industrial parks had not been not fully vaccinated, he said at a meeting on Thursday.

Although fully vaccinated people have a much lower risk of death or serious illness after infection, it is still essential to comply with social distancing, mask wearing, and hand santisation, among other 5K regulations to prevent infection, he warned.

Phạm Đức Hải, deputy head of the HCM City Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, said the number of deaths rose over the past few days, with 21 deaths reported last Saturday (October 30), 25 deaths on Sunday (October 31), 31 deaths on Monday (November 1), and 40 on Tuesday (November 2).

The number of hospitalised patients and deaths due to COVID-19 demonstrates a complicated and unpredictable pandemic situation in the city, Hải said.

Many people are still gathering in large groups at public venues and neglecting preventive measures.

As of November 3, a total of 11,446 people with COVID-19 were being treated in the city, including 240 patients with severe COVID-19 on ventilators, and 15 requiring ECMO intervention. — VNS