Vietnam sees drop in new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours
Vietnam reported 9,373 new COVID-19 cases, including 13 imported ones, in the past 24 hours to 5pm on September 18, more than 2,000 less than the previous day, according to the Ministry of Health.
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam reported 9,373 new COVID-19 cases,including 13 imported ones, in the past 24 hours to 5pm on September 18, 2.146 less than the previous day, according to the Ministry of Health.
Ho Chi Minh City still logged the highest number of daily new infections with 4,237,followed by Binh Duong with 2,877, Dong Nai 939, Long An 236, Tien Giang 197,Kien Giang 168 and An Giang 143. The capital city of Hanoi saw 19 cases on theday.
The new cases brought the national tally 677,023.
On September 18, as many as 14,903 patients were given the all-clear, raisingthe total recoveries to 448,368.
Some 5,477 patients are in critical conditions.
There were 220 fatalities on the day, taking the total number to 16,857, or 2.5percent of the infections.
More than 452,800 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered on September 17,raising the total number of injected vaccine doses to 33,555,359. Over 6.34million people have been fully vaccinated./.
Several steel companies owned by the Vietnam Steel Corporation have been supplying oxygen and oxygen cylinders for free to medical facilities to meet the rising demand for treating COVID-19 patients.
Vietnam Airlines’ flight VN5656 carrying medical equipment donated by Singapore’s Temasek Foundation safely landed at Van Don airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh on September 17.
Vietnam reported 11,521 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours to 5pm on September 17, including 15 imported ones, according to the Ministry of Health.
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.
Taking COVID-19 samples for testing (Photo: VNA) 
