Medical workers provide medicines to people with COVID-19 receiving home care in Cần Thơ City’s Thới Lai District. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The healthcare system in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta city of Cần Thơ is being overwhelmed by new COVID-19 cases, according to its Department of Health.

The daily number hit a record 1,189 on Monday and hospitals, mobile medical stations and medical emergency teams are fully stretched, it said.

More than 13,000 others are receiving care at home, and there is a big shortage of medical personnel and medicines, it said.

It has sought ICU medical personnel and equipment from the Ministry of Health to cope with the demand.

Dương Tấn Hiển, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, said all districts have been instructed to set up field hospitals for patients with mild symptoms.

The city has reopened Field Hospital No.1 with 400 beds and ICU equipment received from HCM City earlier this week.

The Ministry of Defence on Monday dispatched 39 of its doctors and nurses to aid the city.

Medical teams were also sent from Chợ Rẫy Hospital in HCM City on Tuesday to treat patients in serious condition.

The city has set up 58 mobile emergency teams with personnel from the Cần Thơ University of Medicine and Pharmacy to provide home care.

It has asked the ministry to provide an additional 180,000 doses of Molnupiravir, an oral anti-viral medicine which significantly reduces the risk of hospitalisation and death .

A total of 2,000 doses have been sent to patients. — VNS