A man signs a form before he is discharged from a hospital. Over 9,000 Covid-19 patients have been discharged from the Field Hospital No. 1 in HCMC - PHOTO: MOH

HCMC - Over 9,000 Covid-19 patients have been discharged from the Field Hospital No. 1 in HCMC since it began operations on June 26.

Dr Nguyen Thanh Tam, head of the planning division at the Field Hospital No. 1, said that some 300 more Covid-19 patients would be released from the hospital this afternoon, August 9.

The hospital, with a capacity of 4,500 beds, has admitted 11,700 positive Covid-19 cases. Despite a large number of cases and the rising number of ill patients, with enhanced treatment efforts, over 9,000 patients have recovered and returned home, Dr Tam said.

Over the past few days, the hospital, located at the dormitory of the National Defense and Security Training Center under the Vietnam National University-HCMC, has discharged some 2,500-3,500 Covid-19 patients each day. July 28 alone saw over 4,600 patients released from the hospital.

Besides, the Field Hospital No. 12, which is managed by the HCMC Hospital of Dermato-venereology, has released a total of 1,264 patients who recovered, the local media reported.

Dr Pham Dang Tuong, director of the field hospital, which was converted from a resettlement apartment building in Thu Duc City, said that some 100 patients would be discharged from the hospital today. The hospital started admitting patients on July 21 and is treating some 1,100 coronavirus patients.

This morning, the Ministry of Health reported 2,349 Covid cases in HCMC, raising the city’s caseload in the ongoing fourth wave of the coronavirus to 124,153.