Of the latter, 1,277 are on ventilators, 39 require dialysis and 15 are supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), Nguyen Huu Hung, deputy director of the city Department of Health, said.

There are 193 facilities in all with adequate capacity to treat them, he said.

Severe cases are sent to 39 hospitals and intensive care units, and they currently have more than 10,000 patients.

The city has another 23,305 patients categorized as asymptomatic or with mild symptoms and are treated at the 16 field hospitals it has set up.

For over a month the city has been the epicenter of the ongoing Covid-19 wave, with 112,479 infections recorded since it started in April and 2,105 deaths.

Addressing a meeting on Tuesday, city deputy Party chief Phan Van Mai admitted though facilities, human resources, equipment, and medicines have been increased, and many district hospitals have been commandeered for Covid treatment, all are "overloaded."

"Offering treatment to all critical patients and a high rate of fatalities are now problems."

The Ministry of Health is working with HCMC to set up more ICUs with the goal of reducing the fatality rate.

The city is ramping up vaccination to achieve its target of immunizing everyone aged above 18, including migrants and foreigners.

According to incomplete statistics, more than 1.3 million have been vaccinated since July 22 when it began its latest campaign.

The city with 13 million people had inoculated 991,322 in the previous four campaigns, with 48,107 getting both shots.