Medics collect samples for COVID-19 testing from people living in high-risk areas. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Fifty new cases of COVID-19 weredocumented over the last six hours to 12:00pm on May 21, according to theMinistry of Health.
The new patients, who were all domestically infected,comprise 45 in Bac Giang, two in Hung Yen and one each in Hai Duong, Dien Bien,and Hanoi in Vietnam’s north.
The latest infections raised the national tally to 4,883,with 1,835 cases detected since the fourth coronavirus wave began on April 27.
The recoveries now stand at 2,689.
Meanwhile, one COVID-19 patient died on May 20, raising thenumber of fatalities to 40, all suffering from underlying health conditions.
The latest death was a 70-year-old lady who was a strokesurvivor and had suffered diabetes for 21 years.
The patient was admitted to the National Hospital forTropical Diseases on May 3 with the diagnosis of hypertension and fever amongothers. She tested positive with the coronavirus on May 5.
Her health condition deteriorated, leading to her deathon May 20, despite doctors’ resuscitation efforts./.
Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Vietnam, has granted an exclusive interview to the Vietnam News Agency on the Vietnamese government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and WHO’s support for Vietnam in the effort.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai has approved the plan of using financial resources raised by the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) for COVID-19 prevention and control to buy COIVD-19 vaccines.
Vietnam has offered medical supplies, including 800 ventilators, 2 million medical masks and 300,000 N95 surgical masks to Cambodia to support the neighbouring country in COVID-19 fight.
The Standing Board of the Party Committee of Hai Duong province on May 20 asked for strengthening urgent measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure safety the upcoming elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 tenure.
Vietnam now boasts a nationwide healthcare network with 1,665 hospitals, 384 of which are non-public, supported by local commune- and ward-level stations. At the end of 2024, hospital bed capacity reached 34 per 10,000 people, slightly above the global average.
The 56-year-old patient from Quang Tri province was discharged in stable condition as he no longer experienced shortness of breath and was able to walk, move around, and eat normally.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute, said that under the MoU, the two sides committed to promoting diverse and practical collaborative activities, including joint conferences and workshops, exchanges of scholars, researchers and students, sharing academic materials, and the development of specific programmes and projects in scientific research, training, and epidemic prevention.
TytoCare, a leading Israeli telemedicine company based in Netanya, is willing to work with Vietnamese regulators, insurers, and healthcare providers to develop a sustainable digital health ecosystem.
The partnership is under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding on the development and implementation of the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control, signed in Hanoi on July 22.
An estimated 7 million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50% remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
In 2024, Vietnam achieved 99% coverage for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, up from 80% in 2023. Immunisation coverage in the country has not only rebounded to the high levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed the rates recorded in 2019.
Health authorities in HCM City have issued an urgent alert after six people died from dengue fever, amid a spike in infections driven by the onset of the rainy season.
During the peak months of July and August 2025, the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) needs at least 90,000 units of blood to supply 180 hospitals in the northern region. However, despite continuous efforts, the reserve blood is still short of 30,000 units.
The Hanoi ceremony highlighted efforts to ensure all citizens, especially women and youth, can access accurate information and healthcare services to make informed reproductive choices.
After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
Currently, cardiovascular specialists from the 108 Military Central Hospital are working alongside a team of Prof.Dr. Jan D. Schmitto, Deputy Director of MHH’s Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery on clinical trials for MCS devices, implanted in heart failure patients either as a bridge to transplantation or as permanent treatment.
The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the HCM CIty Department of Health.
Not only does Vietnam attract international tourists with its landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but it is also gradually becoming a reliable destination for medical treatment, offering high-quality services at reasonable costs.
Over the past six months, 150 communal health stations in provinces including Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Ben Tre and Ca Mau have been equipped with information technology systems. In addition, 117 key provincial healthcare workers have received training, with thousands more expected to follow.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Health swiftly launched a telemedicine programme, connecting more than 1,000 medical establishments nationwide. The model, which remains in operation, has benefited tens of thousands of patients, including foreign nationals.
After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
Medics collect samples for COVID-19 testing from people living in high-risk areas. (Photo: VNA)
