According to information recently provided by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, from April 8 to April 14, 2023, 11 out of 13 epidemiological surveillance samples conducted by HCDC had results of new sub-variants.
In addition to the new sub-variant recently discovered in Ho Chi Minh City, XBB.1.5, there are 7 samples belonging to other new sub-variants including: XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.16, XBB.1.16.1.
The new sub-variants discovered in Ho Chi Minh City are also sub-variants that have been present in many countries around the world and are classified by WHO as variants of concern or variants that need to be monitored.
Full vaccination is extremely important in disease prevention.
What is worrying is that in addition to a new sub-variant of concern (XBB.1.5) that has appeared in 95 countries, there is also a sub-variant XBB.1.16 that has just been classified by WHO as a variant that needs to be monitored. This sub-variant has appeared in more than 20 countries and is contributing to the surge in cases in India.
The simultaneous discovery of many new sub-variants of Omicron that are prevalent in the world may explain the sudden increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases in the past few days in Ho Chi Minh City and in many provinces and cities across the country.
Currently, there are no reports from countries around the world showing a link between variants of concern or variants to watch and more severe COVID-19 cases globally.
However, the reality shows that the increase in new cases will inevitably lead to an increase in hospitalizations. On the other hand, most of the hospitalizations are people in the risk group, including those who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 according to regulations of the Ministry of Health.
In this situation, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health also called on people to actively join the authorities at all levels in participating in the Campaign to protect people at risk that has just been launched by Ho Chi Minh City. This campaign will be vigorously implemented in May and June 2023.
In particular, getting the COVID-19 vaccine in the right dose and on schedule is extremely necessary, especially for those in the risk group (people with underlying diseases, people over 50 years old, etc.). Because these are the groups with a higher risk of severe illness and death when infected with COVID-19.
COVID-19 cases in Ho Chi Minh City as updated by HCDC (Photo: HCDC)
According to information from HCDC, from 4:00 p.m. on April 22 to 4:00 p.m. on April 23, Ho Chi Minh City recorded: 56 new COVID-19 cases, 42 hospitalizations, 10 discharges, 180 cases under treatment, 57 cases requiring respiratory support. The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Ho Chi Minh City has been on a slight upward trend recently.
HCDC also recommends that, to prevent disease, people need to continue to strictly implement the V2K message (disinfection, masks and full vaccination, especially those in risk groups).
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