HÀ NỘI — A total of 239,797 patients were hospitalised and received emergency treatment during the six-day Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday (January 24-29), according to the Ministry of Health.

The number represented a decline of 6 per cent compared to the same period last year.

There were 321 emergencies relating to firecrackers, 105 cases related to weapons and other kinds of explosive materials and one death from a firearm.

Meanwhile, 3,508 people were hospitalised due to physical altercations, of which six were killed.

On Wednesday, the last day of the holiday, hospitals received more than 500 people needing treatments related to physical altercations, an increase of 20 per cent against last year.

The cases relating to fights accounted for 1.8 per cent of total patients receiving emergency treatment in all hospitals.

According to the ministry, in recent years, the number of cases relating to fighting violence during the Tết holiday were rising.

Hospitals received more than 2,000 patients with food and alcohol poisoning, the number of which typically rises due to Tết celebrations and family and friend gatherings.

As of yesterday evening, the number of patients being treated in hospitals and clinics nationwide stood at nearly 111,000.

During the holiday, 18,142 babies were born while nearly 125,000 patients were released from hospitals to spend the holiday with their families. — VNS