The HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zone Authority checks COVID-19 prevention and control measures at its enterprises on June 8. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Health has instructed the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and Củ Chi District Hospital to make plans to admit COVID-19 patients if the number of cases in the city increases significantly.

The department is preparing 2,000 beds for treatment and 200 ones for resuscitation. In the worst-case scenario, the number of beds for treatment would increase to 5,000.   

The department will change the function of Củ Chi District Hospital to serve COVID-19 treatment, with 500 beds including 20 for emergency and resuscitation. It will inform patients to visit other health facilities such as Củ Chi Regional General Hospital in Củ Chi District.

The Department of Health has instructed the Hospital for Tropical Diseases to use 400 beds for COVID-19 treatment and 46 for resuscitation.

The hospital will transfer its inpatients with contagious diseases, except tetanus, to hospitals with departments of infectious diseases in the city. Other hospitals should create favourable conditions to admit inpatients from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

The Hospital for Tropical Diseases will divide its health officials into two separate groups working in two areas, including one treating COVID-19 patients and the other treating tetanus patients.

Earlier, the health department told Phạm Ngọc Thạch Hospital, which specialises in treatment of tuberculosis and lung-related diseases, to divide its facility space. This was adapted from a successful case in South Korea. 

The hospital has separated one half of its facility, and is using only one entrance and exit door. It has buildings with negative pressure rooms, 700 beds, and equipment for diagnosis, testing and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Lê Văn Thịnh Hospital has set up a separate department for admitting, screening and treating patients with symptoms of COVID.  

According to the department, hospitals are faced with a challenge during this fourth wave of COVID. If they do not carry out proper screening, they could become a transmission source leading to unexpected consequences.  

As of June 7, COVID-19 patients had visited 22 hospitals. Among these, 13 hospitals have detected positive cases through screening and rapid tests. They were then isolated and transferred in time to designated hospitals.

Gia Định People’s Hospital, for instance, found three patients who tested positive for coronavirus in one day and reported the cases to the preventive health system. They were then able to trace and discover the Gò Vấp District cluster.

To reduce the number of hospitals under lockdown, the Department of Health has instructed all public and private health facilities to test patients with symptoms of cough, fever, sore throat or loss of taste or smell, even if they have not gone to COVID-19 hit areas.

Patients in Gò Vấp District and District 12’s Thạnh Lộc Ward, the worst-hit areas in the city, should be tested for COVID-19 if they visit health facilities.

More than 500 COVID-19 patients are being treated in the city. — VNS