HCMC extends isolation time of Covid-19 recovered patients

The Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Department of Health directed that all Covid-19 recovered patients released from hospital will have to spend the next 14 days at a healthcare unit for medical monitoring. In case patients wish to return home, local healthcare units in districts will be responsible for monitoring these people.

HCMC extends isolation time of Covid-19 recovered patients

Seeing that certain Covid-19 recovered patients tested positive again after being discharged from hospital, some of whom for 30 days, the HCMC Health Department sent an urgent document to HCMC Center for Disease Control (HCDC), local healthcare units in all districts, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Cu Chi Hospital for Acute Respiratory Diseases, and other hospitals treating Covid-19 patients regarding health check and isolation process for recovered patients released from hospital.

Accordingly, all patients meeting requirements for discharge will follow an isolation time at a local healthcare unit for the next 14 days.

Any patients who have a stable accommodation in HCMC that satisfies requirements of the Health Ministry can self-isolate themselves there under the strict monitoring of district healthcare units after signing a commitment to observe all regulations. These medical organizations need to deliver full guidance for members of the household on how to live with and help these recovered patients while keeping themselves safe from potential infection.

If the accommodation cannot meet the requirements or patients do not comply with regulations, these people must continue their 14-day isolation period in a specialized quarantine place of the district.

HCMC residents who were successfully treated in other provinces will be the responsibility of HCDC upon their entering the city.

After the 14-day isolation time over, recovered patients are advised to limit going out unless necessary and follow all protection rules (wearing face masks, washing hand regularly, maintaining social distance in communication) while keeping close contact with local healthcare units for medical monitoring until after 30 days.

The HCMC Health Department implements health check for these patients for 30 days from the hospital release day. If tested positive, patients will be treated as a new Covid-19 case, with sufficient quarantine and health monitoring for those having close contact with them.

Among the 53 cases of recovered patients in HCMC, 13 came back from other provinces or nations. At the moment, 47 of them are self-isolating at home. 37 out of 53 are having blood test daily.

At the end of May 5, HCMC reported 55 Covid-19 cases, 43 of which were recovered and discharged from hospital. There are 102 new people quarantined in medical units and 103 at home.

Patient No.91, the British pilot being treated in HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases, has normal temperature and stable blood pressure now, but still in crisis, and being under ECMO intervention.

HCMC carried out medical declaration and temperature check for the crews and passengers of 3 international flights and 103 domestic ones. Passengers of 11 trains and 17 ships undergo the same procedure. Covid-19 detection tests were done on 56,572 samples.

From March 20 to May 5, the Vietnamese Fatherland Front – HCMC received in cash and goods worth more than VND176.7 billion (approx. US$7.54 million) from 6,778 individuals and organizations to support Covid-19 fight and farmers in areas enduring soil salinity.

Around VND47 billion ($2 million) was delivered to local residents in the 7 southern provinces of Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, and Hau Giang.

The money sent to doctors, the medical staff, volunteers in Covid-19 fight as well as poor people financially affected by this pandemic was VND40 billion ($1.7 million).

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