Examining a severe coronavirus patient in an ICU in Vietnam

A British citizen, widely known as ‘patient 91’, who contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ho Chi Minh city, has yet to show any signs of recovery despite enjoying some recent clinical improvements, according to the Ministry of Health.

The patient, a pilot for Vietnam Airlines, remains in intensive care and requires sedation in order to alleviate the anxiety and pain he faces. At present he requires the support of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine in order to facilitate lung-protective mechanical ventilation. In addition, he is also being treated with antibiotics and dialysis.

Doctors believe that with 90% of his lungs damaged, a lung transplant appears to be the only solution which can save his life. The patient underwent a CT-scan on May 18 to re-evaluate his health status in the lead up to surgery.

This marks the second time that the 43-year-old man has undergone a scan in order to detect and evaluate the damage done to his lungs. The first scan was conducted on May 13 with doctors discovering that pulmonary fibrosis had solidified both of the patient’s lungs, meaning that only around 10% of his lungs remain active. With this in mind, it appears highly unlikely that he will survive unless he receives a lung transplant.

The patient was originally diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 on March 18, several days after visiting Buddha Bar, a COVID-19 hotspot in Ho Chi Minh City. Since being hospitalised, his health has severely deteriorated, with test results coming back both positive and negative for the virus at different times.

Leading experts from the Professional Council under the Ministry of Health, alongside hospital doctors, are scheduled to hold a consultation to discuss the patient’s current health status and the possibility of performing a life-saving lung transplant on him on May 19.

With the patient receiving treatment at the Ho Chi Minh City-based Hospital of Tropical Diseases, he will need to be transferred to Cho Ray hospital in order to undergo the transplant as soon as the conditions allow him to. 

Photo exhibition to honour efforts against pandemic

The Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA) is inviting photos of Vietnam in the combat against COVID-19 to an exhibition slated for June 1.

VAPA Chairman Vu Quoc Khanh said on May 11 that the event aims to push ahead with communications to raise public awareness of the pandemic, highlight Vietnam’s enormous achievements in the COVID-19 fight, and honour the photo takers.

The organising board said photos sent to the exhibition should depict the country and people in the disease prevention and control efforts, their daily lives in the pandemic, along with the exemplars and those working in the frontline.

Senders can be professional photographers, photo journalists or those able to take COVID-19-themed photos in Vietnam, and each can submit up to 20 works that are separate photos or groups of photos.

The exhibition is open for entries via website www.trienlamanhCovid-19.com from now through May 20. The best 150-200 items will be selected for the display.

The event will be held at the VAPA’s centre for artistic photo archives and exhibition in Hanoi./.

Four new cases confirmed, bringing country’s total to 324

Two cabin crew from Vietnam Airlines are among the latest patients to test positive for COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The pair were working onboard flight VN0062 from Moscow in Russia, bringing home Vietnamese citizens on May 13.

The two other new cases were passengers on flight VN001 from Washington DC in the US to Việt Nam on May 16.

All four new cases were quarantined right after entering the country.

Patient 321 is a 44-year-old Vietnamese man whose residence is in Phú Nhuận District in HCM City. He is an air steward of Vietnam Airlines.

Patient 322 is a 39-year-old Vietnamese man who lives in Phú Nhuận District in HCM City. He is also an air steward of Vietnam Airlines.

After entering Việt Nam via Vân Đồn Airport on May 13, the crew flew to Hà Nội on a plane without passengers. At 10am on May 15, the staff flew from Hà Nội to HCM City on flight VN7485 without any passengers.

The crew were then quarantined at a centre of Vietnam Airlines at No 115 Hồng Hà Street, Ward 2, Tân Bình District. Patient 321 and 322 stayed in the same room.

They tested negative for COVID-19 on May 14. On May 16, patient 321 had a high temperature and then tested positive one day later. Now he is under treatment at the Củ Chi Hospital.

After patient 321 tested positive for the virus, patient 322 was moved to a quarantine centre in Củ Chi District and then also tested positive for the virus on May 18. He is undergoing treatment at the Củ Chi Hospital.

Patient 323 is a 19-year-old woman who lives in Tân Bình District in HCM City. She is an overseas student from the US and went to Việt Nam on flight VN001 on May 16.

Patient 324 is an 18-year-old man who lives in Tân Bình District in HCM City. He is an overseas student from the US who arrived on May 16 on flight VN001.

After entering Việt Nam via Nội Bài International Airport, the two overseas students were quarantined in a centre in Thạch Thất District in Hà Nội. They tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on May 17 and are undergoing treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases No 2. 

Nearly 300 Vietnamese return from Thailand

Nearly 300 Vietnamese return from Thailand on May 18

Nearly 300 Vietnamese citizens who found themselves stuck in Thailand amid the COVID-19 pandemic returned home safely on May 18.

Authorised agencies of the two countries, the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand, and national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines worked together to arrange a flight bringing them home.

Those repatriated included children, pregnant women, sick people, students made homeless due to universities and dormitories being closed, the elderly, workers whose employment contracts expired, and tourists trapped in the country.

Vietnam Airlines took measures to ensure security and safety on the flight and prevent the spread of the disease. All were given check-ups and put in quarantine upon landing.

To implement directions from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, local authorities, Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, and domestic airlines will continue to work together to bring Vietnamese citizens stuck overseas home./.

Southeast Asian countries report hundreds of new COVID-19 patients

Indonesia confirmed 496 new COVID-19 patients  on May 18, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 18,010.

According to the Indonesian Health Ministry, the country recorded 43 more deaths, bringing the death toll to 1,191. Meanwhile, 4,324 people have recovered.

The same day, the Health Ministry of the Philippines reported 205 more cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths, raising the total of infections and fatalities to 12,718 and 831, respectively.

Meanwhile, Malaysia recorded 47 new cases of infections, taking its total to 6,941, including 113 deaths.
 
Amid the complicated developments of the pandemic in the country, Malaysian King Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah called on the Malaysian Government to focus on ensuring the people's well-being and safety, while taking measures to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak./. 

Indonesia: No relaxation of large-scale social restriction policy

Jl. Jatibaru in Tanah Abang, Jakarta, is seen packed with sellers and shoppers on May 18 (Photo: https://www.thejakartapost.com/)

The Indonesian government has no plans to ease the enactment of the Large Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) policy in the immediate future, as the government is still focusing on the national mudik (homecoming) ban for the next two weeks to curb the spread of COVID-19, said President Joko Widodo.

Speaking at an online cabinet meeting on May 18, Widodo stressed that there is no relaxation of the PSBB policy, the public should not be mistaken that the government has begun to relax PSBB.

He asked the Chief of the Indonesian Police Force, General Idham Azis, as well as the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, to ensure the effective enforcement of the mudik ban.

The President has also reminded that the mudik ban is only applicable to limit the mobility of people, not goods.

According to Widodo, the government is preparing PSBB easing scenarios and continues to monitor disease developments before making a decision on the time for applying.

Previously, on May 15, President Joko Widodo called on Indonesians "to live" with the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the new normal.

As of May 18, Indonesia confirmed 18,010 COVID-19 patients. The disease killed 1,191 persons in the country, while 4,324 cases were cured./.

Hà Nội gifts 200,000 Vietnamese-made masks to French localities

Chairman of Hà Nội People's Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung (right) presents a token representing gifts of medical supplies to the French ambassador in Việt Nam Nicolas Warnery at yesterday's handover ceremony to help a number of France's localities to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung handed over 200,000 face masks to the Embassy of France in support of the European country’s fight against COVID-19.

Hà Nội's municipal authorities gifted 150,000 face masks for the Ile-de-France region in north-central France, while the city's Hoàn Kiếm and Đống Đa districts donated 20,000 and 30,000 face masks for Toulouse and Choisy-le-Roi cities, respectively.

The masks bear a CE marking, indicating they meet standards set for products sold within the EU.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Chairman Chung underlined that strengthening international cooperation and unity is an important factor in curbing the spread and impact of the pandemic in each country and region.

French Ambassador to Việt Nam Nicholas Warnery expressed his gratitude for the support from Hà Nội authorities and people to their French counterparts, and voiced his belief that the two countries will triumph in the fight against the pandemic.

Thai PM thanks billionaires for their willingness to help

The Prime Minister of Thailand has thanked Thai billionaires in a Facebook post for their willingness to help Thai people and lead the country through the present difficult situation.

Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha posted a message on Facebook expressing his heartfelt thanks to the billionaires from whom he sought advice at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

In his Facebook post on May 18, he said all of them had responded to his call to assist people directly affected by COVID-19.

He said that what matters is not the amount of money or the value of the projects they undertook to assist those in difficulty, but their willingness to offer a helping hand to ease the hardships of the Thai people.

“The unity, generosity and care of Thai people for their fellow countrymen and others are unique,” he said.

In addition to the billionaires, from whom he sought direct help, he disclosed that there were others who volunteered their help, as well as members of the public who have done whatever they could to share happiness with others.

With the support of all sectors of society, the Prime Minister said he is confident that Thailand will survive this severe crisis./.