Only 21 people passed away from COVID-19 on January 6 in Saigon.
Representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health explained to Zing that the majority of the deceased were over 65 years old, and 19 of the 21 had underlying health issues. The total number of Covid-linked deaths in the city to date stands at 20,050.
Yesterday, 433 new cases were confirmed in Saigon and 25,787 nationwide; the highest numbers were in Hanoi, Hải Phòng and Tây Ninh. Overall, 170 deaths were reported in the country.
Saigon has experienced notable decreases in COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations and new cases in recent weeks. At the beginning of the month, the city announced that 16 out of Saigon's 22 districts have been labeled green, signifying low pandemic risks, while the rest are marked as yellow zones, with medium risk. This has prompted authorities to allow bars, clubs, karaoke parlors and spas to re-open on January 10 after more than six months of suspended operations.
Despite the success of vaccination efforts and the corresponding situation in Saigon, many remain concerned about the potential for the Omicron variant to increase numbers if and when it reaches the local community. So far, Vietnam has recorded 25 Omicron cases, six of them in Saigon, but they all have been from arriving travelers who were placed in quarantine.
