ta region COVID cases rise across Mekong Del

Healthcare staff provide medicine to a homebound COVID-19 patient in Cần Thơ City. Many Mekong Delta provinces are seeing a rising number of new cases, and have increased their provincial risk levels. – Photo tuoitre.vn

MEKONG DELTA – The COVID-19 situation in Mekong Delta provinces remains complicated, with a rising number of daily cases and deaths.

The region's largest city, Cần Thơ City, with over 24,300 cases, has seen an increase in the number of daily cases, especially in Ninh Kiều District where clusters have been found in crowded urban areas.

While the city had an average of 170 daily new cases in the first week of November, the number rose to 750 in the last week of the month.

The city recorded 1,072 cases on November 28, the highest number seen in three months. The caseload is placing a strain on the city’s medical facilities.

The city’s Department of Health is allocating more hospital beds for patients in moderate and critical condition, and is working on setting up more field hospitals.

The department has also been speeding up vaccinations for locals. Currently, around 87 per cent of the city’s adult population have been fully inoculated. Nearly 86 per cent of children aged 12 to 17 have received their first shots.

It has also asked the Ministry of Health for doctors, nurses and medical equipment from other regions to treat patients in critical condition.

Meanwhile, Vĩnh Long Province will raise its pandemic risk level from level 2 (medium risk) to level 3 (high risk) beginning on November 30.

The provincial Department of Health is working with other departments and districts to notify locals and businesses about pandemic preventive measures.

Similarly, Sóc Trăng Province has raised its provincial risk level to high risk and is not allowing locals to travel outside from 9 pm to 4 am.

According to the provincial steering centre for pandemic prevention and control, there could be undetected COVID-19 cases in the community or nonquarantined close contacts of COVID patients.

The province is increasing its inspections of restaurants and businesses' compliance with pandemic preventive regulations, and is encouraging locals to not travel outside or gather at workplaces unless necessary. – VNS