Doctors treating a serious COVID-19 case. — Photo for illustration, courtesy of the Ministry of Health

HÀ NỘI — The health ministry on Monday announced four new COVID-19-related deaths, all elderly people with multiple chronic health issues in the southern region, bringing the total number of fatalities to 90.

The 87th death was a 68-year-old man in District 11, HCM City, who had a history of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and drug-resistant tuberculosis (in the third month of treatment), along with varicose veins.

He was admitted to Phạm Ngọc Thạch Hospital in HCM City on June 26, and passed away three days later, with official cause of death noted as SARS-CoV-2 infection in a TB patient.

The 88th casualty was a 81-year-old woman from the Mekong Delta Province of Đồng Tháp.

She was admitted for treatment at Sa Đéc General Hospital on June 8, with diagnosis of acute adrenal insufficiency, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, drug-induced Cushing syndrome.

The woman tested positive for COVID-19 on June 26, and died on July 2 with official cause of death recorded as severe pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, septic shock in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and acute adrenal insufficiency.

A 73-year-old woman in Châu Thành, Long An Province, with a history of heart failure, hypertension, lupus erythematosus, knee osteoarthritis, sacral ulcer, and drug-induced Cushing syndrome, was the country’s 89th COVID-19 death.

On June 13, her knee pain began and she was taken to Long An Hospital of Traditional Medicine. Her antigen test was negative for COVID-19.

On June 21, she was moved to emergency unit at Long An Province General Hospital – again with a negative test – and then transferred to the hospital’s Gastroenterology- Haematology-Endocrinology department.

Her hospitalisation diagnosis was logged as sacrococcygeal ulcers, polyarthritis, and chronic anaemia.

She tested positive for COVID-19 on June 29, and died the following day, with official cause of death recorded as pneumonia caused by COVID-19 and progressive respiratory failure, heart failure, hypertension in patients with lupus erythematosus, knee osteoarthritis, sacral pressure ulcer, drug-induced Cushing syndrome.

Việt Nam’s 90th COVID-19 death was also an elderly woman (88 years old) from Tam Nông, Đồng Tháp Province, with a history of ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), historic tuberculosis, and stroke.

She was admitted to Long An Hospital on June 16 with hospital’s diagnosis of angina attack, COPD, hypokalaemia, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and monitoring for cerebral infarction is indicated.

The woman suffered from intense abdominal pains on June 2, which was determined to be caused by perforated hollow viscus, and she was operated on.

She died on July 4, with cause of death noted as gastrointestinal perforation, pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 with respiratory failure complications in patients with COPD, ischemic heart disease, and sequelae of TB and stroke.

Việt Nam has reported 55 COVID-19 deaths in the ongoing fourth wave of infections since April 27, 2021. — VNS