Covid-19 epicenter Da Nang discharges last patient

A resident in Da Nang's Hai Chau District, the patient had contracted the new coronavirus at Da Nang Hospital in mid August while receiving emergency aid for heart failure, high-blood pressure, diabetes, and metabolic disorder.

His infection occurred as Vietnam dealt with its second Covid-19 wave, which started on July 25 after the nation went three months without a single community transmission.

"Today marks one month and six days since I was diagnosed with Covid-19. Now that I'm healed and could reunite with my family, I am overjoyed. I just want to express my gratitude to all doctors and nurses," he said.

On being diagnosed with the disease, the patient was transferred from Da Nang Hospital to a field hospital treating Covid-19 patients in the city's Hoa Vang District.

He twice tested negative for the new coronavirus while at the field hospital, though he tested positive again.

In total, the patient had tested positive as many as 19 times during treatment.

"I was really worried and could not sleep for many nights, but doctors and nurses stood by my side and helped me get through my biggest obstacle: mental issues."

Doctor Dang Cong Quyt from the field hospital said: "It was not until last night when he had been confirmed negative for the third time in a row that he could sleep well."

Set up on August 1, the Hoa Vang field hospital had received 258 Covid-19 patients, 15 of whom have died.

There had been time when the hospital had to treat as many as 200 patients at once.

"Which worried us most was saving patients also suffering chronic diseases," Quyt said.

The latest recovery means Da Nang is now free of Covid-19 patients.

Since July 25, Da Nang has recorded 389 patients, 31 of them having died. Cases from Da Nang had been transmitted to 15 other cities and province across the country, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

By Wednesday, Da Nang had passed 23 straight days without local transmissions and Vietnam, 20 days.

So far, the nation has recorded 1,068 Covid-19 cases. Of them, 50 remain active, 980 have recovered and 35 have died. Three cases had died of other diseases after they had tested negative for the new coronavirus at least thrice.