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Patient 91 has been transferred to Cho Ray Hospital.
On the evening of May 22nd, Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City announced that it had admitted the 91st COVID-19 patient (a 43-year-old British pilot) after 65 days of treatment at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Immediately afterward, the patient was placed in the Intensive Care Unit for monitoring and treatment.
Reportedly, before being transferred to Cho Ray Hospital, patient 91 had tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus six times in a row, had stable vital signs, and was in a favorable condition with 30% lung function restored and respiratory parameters improving well.
Twelve Vietnamese people have tested positive for COVID-19 in St. Petersburg.
According to the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of the Vietnamese community in St. Petersburg, Russia, as of the morning of May 22nd, 11 Vietnamese students and 1 child in the northern capital of Russia have contracted Covid-19. Six of these students, from the Military Medical School, have recovered. The remaining students undergoing treatment are currently in stable condition.
Given the complex developments of the pandemic, Vietnamese students at several universities such as the Forestry University, the Polytechnic University, the Mining University, and the Electrical Engineering University (LETI) have established COVID-19 prevention committees to further enhance pandemic prevention efforts and minimize their impact.
Addressing the risk of COVID-19 infection at Bac Lieu General Hospital
Following media reports on May 21st about a street vendor selling drinks and cigarettes to COVID-19 patients being treated at Bac Lieu Provincial General Hospital, on May 22nd, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management sent a letter to the Bac Lieu Department of Health regarding the handling and mitigation of the risk of infection at Bac Lieu Provincial General Hospital.
The Director of the Bac Lieu Provincial Department of Health personally inspected and directed the units implementing isolation and treatment for patients and suspected cases of Covid-19.
Thailand continues to ease lockdown restrictions.
On May 22, the Thai government's Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced that phase 3 of lockdown easing will take effect nationwide on June 1. A CCSA spokesperson said a decision will be made on May 29 to implement the measures on June 1.
Accordingly, the discussion will focus on assessing which types of businesses will be allowed to reopen and specifying which businesses will not be permitted to reopen, such as high-risk activities like nightclubs, or any business involving physical contact. In recent weeks, the number of Covid-19 cases in Thailand has been showing a positive downward trend. However, the Thai government has decided to extend the state of emergency for another month, until June 30th.
South Koreans raid headquarters of Shincheonji religious sect.
On May 22, more than 100 South Korean prosecutors raided the headquarters of the Shincheonji religious sect nationwide as part of an investigation into allegations that the sect obstructed government efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic in its early stages.
The raid marks the first forced investigation into the Shincheonji religious sect since February, when a group of people claiming to be victims of the sect filed a lawsuit against its founder, Lee Man-hee, 89, alleging embezzlement, negligence, and violations of infectious disease prevention and control regulations.
Russia confirms the peak of the pandemic has passed.
Speaking at a government online meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the number of new daily infections in the country has been gradually decreasing in recent days and the situation has generally stabilized. He also instructed an increase in Covid-19 testing and emphasized that Russia has passed the peak and is showing a clear downward trend. Also at the meeting, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said that, having initially passed the peak of the epidemic, the number of deaths from COVID-19 in Russia is expected to "increase significantly" this month.
Oxford University expands vaccine trial to include 10,000 people.
Oxford University is recruiting thousands of volunteers for the next phase of human trials of its promising Covid-19 vaccine. In an announcement on May 22nd, Andrew Pollard, head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said that up to 10,260 adults and children will be selected to participate in the trial as Oxford expands the age range of those receiving the vaccine and engages several partner organizations across the UK.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Oxford University vaccine is one of eight vaccines that have begun testing among 118 vaccine development projects worldwide. Previous clinical trials in this project are showing promising results. Experts are now beginning studies to assess how the vaccine elicits an immune response in the elderly and children, and its potential effectiveness in a broader population.
The UK mandates a 14-day quarantine for all incoming travelers.
On May 22nd, the UK's Minister for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis, confirmed that the UK would implement a 14-day quarantine for all foreigners arriving in the country. He emphasized: "Anyone arriving in the UK will have to quarantine, and the quarantine period will be two weeks, including British citizens returning from overseas." However, British citizens will be allowed to quarantine at home. Minister Lewis added that this policy will be reviewed every three weeks.
The plan is expected to be implemented starting in June, and the details were announced by the Ministry of Interior at a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office on the same day.
South America has become the new epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 22, an official from the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that South America has now become the new epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. At a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, the WHO's Executive Director of Emergency Health Programs, Dr. Michael Ryan, emphasized that South America has become a new "epicenter" of the disease, with Brazil being the most severely affected country.
Although the outbreak started later than in other regions, with the first case recorded on February 26th, the infection rate doubled within two weeks, and to date, the region has become a global hotspot with over 500,000 cases and more than 28,000 deaths. Besides Brazil, which currently has the third highest number of patients in the world, Peru, as of May 20th, had become the second-largest outbreak area in Latin America with 104,020 infections, an increase of over 4,500 cases in a single day.
In Mexico, a country that has not implemented mandatory quarantine measures other than urging people to practice social distancing until May 31st, the pandemic is at its peak, with over 56,500 cases and more than 6,000 deaths. Mexico's mortality rate is among the highest globally, at around 10%, partly due to the fact that over 70% of the population suffers from hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and overweight conditions.
The US President is asking states to allow churches to reopen.
On May 22, US President Donald Trump instructed governors to allow churches to reopen immediately, stating that this is essential to the lives of Americans amid the Covid-19 pandemic. President Trump also said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would issue guidance for churches on safely reopening.
South Africa monitors drainage systems to identify COVID-19 hotspots.
The South African Water Research Commission (WRC) recently launched a sewage monitoring program to search for traces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, in patient waste via toilets. This national monitoring program aims to support healthcare workers in tracking Covid-19 cases and mapping infection hotspots in the community.
The WRC will conduct pilot programs this May and hopes to provide a comprehensive overview of the diversity of SARS-CoV-2 strains in the community. The estimated cost to implement a nationwide wastewater monitoring program is approximately $2.5 million, primarily for laboratory analysis and evaluation. To date, COVID-19 tracing in wastewater systems has mainly been implemented in developed countries with advanced mesh-type drainage systems.
Malaria medication increases the risk of death in COVID-19 patients.
According to a study published in the medical journal Lancet, the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine is associated with an increased risk of death in patients with COVID-19. The Lancet study tracked data from 96,000 COVID-19 patients treated at 671 hospitals. The results showed that patients treated with hydroxychloroquine or drugs related to chloroquine had a higher risk of death compared to patients not treated with these drugs.
Demand for hydroxychloroquine has increased after US President Donald Trump announced its use in treating COVID-19 patients. Earlier this week, he also acknowledged using hydroxychloroquine daily as a preventative measure against COVID-19 infection after several White House staff members tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
