A COVID-19 patient, 89, dies in Vietnam

The female patient, 89, was diagnosed with respiratory failure and severe pneumonia caused by COVID-19. She also suffered from hypertension, diabetes (type II), and underwent surgery due to lumbar vertebra collapse.

The patient, hailing from Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province, a coronavirus hotspot close to Hanoi capital, tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus on May 13.

The same day, she was admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases for medical surveillance and treatment.

The patient has since relied on invasive mechanical ventilation, continuous hemodialysis, and on the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a life support therapy for critically ill patients to sustain life.

Despite doctors’ treatment efforts, she passed away on May 15.

This is the 36th fatality caused by COVID-19 and underlying health conditions in Vietnam. The previous 35 fatalities were recorded during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hitting Vietnam last July.

The fourth wave has struck the nation since the virus resurged in the community in late April 2021. The virus has spread to 26 cities and provinces nationwide, with more than 800 cases confirmed.

Notably, dozens of other severely ill patients with underlying health conditions are closely being monitored by doctors at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.