Students from Marie Curie High School in District 3 return to class on January 4. VNA/VNS Photo by Hồng Giang

HCM CITY — HCM City has seen positive signs in the fight against the COVID-19, according to its Steering Committee for Pandemic Prevention and Control.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Phạm Đức Hải, deputy head of the committee, said the number of weekly cases decreased from 8,686 in the first week of December to 4,087 in the last week.

The number of deaths in the first three days of 2022 was 30, 31, and 26 respectively, while serious cases requiring hospitalisation were around 300 a day.

“These numbers accurately reflect optimistic signs in the pandemic fight. It is believed that we will gain better achievements in pandemic prevention and control in 2022,” Hải said.

Nguyễn Thị Huỳnh Mai, the local Department of Health chief officer, said: “The city still has enough antivirus drugs for COVID-19 treatment.”

The city now has 7,500 does of antivirus drugs, and will soon receive 25,000 doses from the Ministry of Health

The local Department of Health has called for 2,295 private pharmacies to be more involved in the city’s fight against COVID-19.

Pharmacies can supply equipment and medicine at reasonable prices to help COVID patients treat themselves at home, such as rapid test kits, pulse oximeters and disinfectant.

Lê Duy Tân, head of the city Deparment of Education and Training’s Secondary and High School Education Division, said the rate of students in grades 7, 8 and 10 returning to schools on January 4 was more than 85 per cent. For students in grade 11 it was 92 per cent.

Students have been reviewing lessons, and will take first term examinations between January 10 and 22. VNS