A British pilot, Vietnam’s most severe patient of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), no longer requires antibiotics while his lung capacity continues to improve during treatment in Ho Chi Minh City.

As of Monday morning, the British patient has been disconnected from a ventilator for 48 hours without any complications, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced.

Doctors at Cho Ray Hospital in the southern metropolis have stopped giving the Briton antibiotics.

He is now only taking antifungal medication.

The patient continues to be fed via his gastrointestinal tract, while his lung capacity is also improving.

Doctors are focusing on restoring the muscular strength of his legs so that he will be able to walk again.

The 43-year-old man, a Vietnam Airlines pilot, was confirmed as the country’s COVID-19 patient No. 91 following his diagnosis in mid-March.

After being cleared of the coronavirus following his treatment at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, he was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital on May 22 with severely damaged lungs.

A lung transplant was believed to be the only option to save the Briton.

However, he has been making a remarkable recovery in the past weeks.

Doctors gave the green light to disconnect the patient from ECMO life support, which he had been on for nearly 60 days, on June 3.

He was taken off his ventilator on Saturday, the Ministry of Health said, adding that a lung transplant is no longer necessary.

Vietnam’s COVID-19 tally is currently at 334, with 323 having recovered, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

No death from the disease has been recorded in the country.

Among the 11 active cases, only seven still test positive for the novel coronavirus, while the others have tested negative at least once since receiving treatment.

It has been 60 days since Vietnam last documented an infection in the community.

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