A guide on how to care for and monitor the health of Covid-19 patients at home, signed by deputy director of the HCMC health department Tang Chi Thuong on Thursday, said Covid-19 cases detected within the community who have no symptoms and no elevated risks, like obesity or other underlying conditions, could be self-isolated at home for 14 days instead of having to go into centralized quarantine.

In a previous document by the department on July 23, asymptomatic Covid-19 cases with no underlying condition would undergo centralized quarantine for about a week, and they could be sent home if test results return negative or show a low viral concentration.

The Ministry of Health also issued a similar guidance.

The new guide issued on Thursday came about half a month after HCMC trialed with reducing treatment time for asymptomatic Covid-19 cases and allowing them and their close contacts to be self-isolated at home.

During their self-isolation, people must be self-equipped with coronavirus prevention measures like hand sanitizers and masks, along with other medical items like thermometers. Those who're staying in the same place as self-isolated cases must abide by coronavirus control measures as well.

HCMC, now the nation's largest coronavirus hotspot, has recorded 84,521 local Covid-19 cases in the fourth coronavirus wave which struck Vietnam in late April.

Rising numbers of infections in the southern city has put a burden on its healthcare system, requiring different approaches in isolating and treating Covid-19 cases. The city has categorized medical facilities into five groups to receive patients from the mildest to the most critical cases.

Le Phuong