Coronavirus outbreak hitting its peak in Binh Duong, expert says

The coronavirus outbreak in Binh Duong is hitting its peak as the numbers of new infections and recoveries are levelling off, according to Assoc. Prof. & Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu, director of the Hanoi Medical University.

Taking nasal swabs for COVID-19 testing in Binh Duong

The number of new COVID-19 patients in Binh Duong has constantly increased over the past few days, as the province is speeding up COVID-19 testing. On August 21 alone, the industrial complex hub recorded 4,505 new cases, overtaking its neighbour Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s largest coronavirus hotspot.

The number of new cases is expected to continue to rise in the coming days, said Dr. Hieu, who was dispatched to Binh Duong by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to assist with the COVID-19 fight.

However, Hieu said with the MoH’s COVID-19 treatment protocol in place, the number of patients discharged from hospital there is increasing considerably, reaching up to 5,000 on some days. It is expected that recoveries will likely outpace new infections, noted Hieu.

According to the expert, the province is going in the right direction when it is stepping up the testing drive and expanding the capacity of treatment facilities.

Currently, Binh Duong is establishing another intensive care unit (ICU) centre at Becamex International Hospital capable of treating 337 serious and critically ill patients. It has also converted its Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis Hospital into an ICU centre to treat critically ill patients.

Along with the Provincial General Hospital, Binh Duong will have three ICU centres that are able to treat critically ill patients.

“Whether we succeed in the COVID-19 fight depends a lot on local people’s support and cooperation. We hope the people will strictly implement social distancing measures so that we will pass the peak by the end of August,” Hieu told local media outlets.

Á ò August 21, Binh Duong had recorded more than 66,000 infections, or one fifth of the country’s total, since the resurgence of the virus nearly four months ago.