If the patient continues to make good progress in recovery, medical experts believe that he will no longer need lung transplants.

VnExpress reports that on June 11, doctors at Saigon’s Cho Ray Hospital brought Case 91 out for sunbathing on a wheelchair for the first time since being admitted. The patient is a 43-year-old British pilot who was the first confirmed case from Saigon’s Buddha Bar COVID-19 cluster.

A representative from the hospital told the news site that Case 91’s lung infections have cleared and his throat cultures came back negative. He’s also non-febrile and slowly regaining motor functions both in his arms and legs. Most recently, he was able to use his phone and write short phrases on a small board while his leg functions increased from level 1 to 3 over the past week.

Regarding respiratory health, doctors took him off ECMO for the first time early in the month and are now working to wean him off assistive ventilation. So far, the patient has been able to breathe on his own intermittently during the day. On an average day, he can consume around 1,500 millimeters of puréed food, 1.5 times more than before.

The optimistic progress made by the patient has been regarded as a medical miracle by health professionals because back in May, his condition was looking grim enough that lung transplants were seriously being considered as a last-resort option.

According to Cho Ray, doctors plan to take Case 91 off antibiotics and slowly wean him off ventilation in the near future, earlier than expected. Moreover, various forms of therapy will help the patient recover his mobility and organ functions.

As of June 12, Vietnam has 11 patients undergoing treatment for COVID-19, five of which have tested negative, including Case 91. It’s been 57 days since the last instant of community transmission as recent new cases have 100% been Vietnamese nationals returning from abroad.

[Photo via Kenh14]