Hanoi (VNA) – Despite an increasing number of COVID-19 cases recorded inHanoi in recent days, the number of hospitalised patients has increased inconsiderably, while those at moderate level and above decreased slightly,according to statistics of the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Amongnearly 5,900 COVID-19 patients being treated at hospitals in Hanoi, there are958 mild or asymptomatic cases, more than 3,800 moderate cases (down 2.6 percent compared to the average 7days ago); 91 patients in seriousor critical condition (down nearly 3 percent).

Thenumber of cases that require HFNC (HighFlow Nasal Cannula) and non-invasive respiratory sharply decreased by 26 percent.

Accordingto the MoH, Vietnam recorded 147,358 COVID-19 infections onMarch 7, bringing the national tally since the start of the pandemic to4,582,058.

Hanoi continued to top the daily numberswith a record of 32,317 transmissions, and 15 deaths. It was followed by central NgheAn (10,153), northern Bac Ninh (7,873), northern Phu Tho provinces (4,326).

As of March 6, Hanoi reported 682,683patients being treated, including 675,810 cases monitored and quarantined at home(accounting for nearly 99 percent of the total).  The total number ofrecovered patients in the capital city reached 715,495.

As many as 36,993COVID patients made a full recovery nationwide on March 7,lifting the total number of recovered patients in the country to 2,718,440.

4,104 COVID patients are in serious orcritical condition with the majority requiring oxygen.

An additional 78 COVID-related deathswere confirmed in the day, raising the nation's death toll to 40,891.

At ameeting on COVID-19 prevention and control and economic recovery in Ho Chi MinhCity on March 7, Head of the Office of the HCM City Department of HealthNguyen Thi Huynh Mai said people should not hoard the antiviral drug molnupiravir because the shelf life ofCOVID-19 anti-drugs is shorter than other drugs.

The MoH has licensed three pharmaceutical companies to produce antiviral drugswith the monthly capacity of about 2 million pills, so there will be noshortage of drugs, she said.

To date, the World Health Organisation (WHO) still considers COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, and predicts unforeseenvariations. In many countries, the pandemic is still complicated, requiring maintenanceof high-level pandemic response activities.

Althoughthe rate of severe cases and deaths in the country has decreased strongly comparedto the previous period, the daily number of deaths is still around 100.

Therefore,the MoH said that Vietnam should not consider the COVID-19 pandemic as an"endemic disease" at this time./.