The Centre for International Health Quarantine of Ho Chi Minh City is carrying out various measures to prevent Zika virus from entering the country and to contain it in case the disease does occur.
HCM City (VNA)꧋ – Although no cases of Zika virus have been recorded in Vietnam, the Centre for International Health Quarantine of Ho Chi Minh City is carrying out various measures to prevent the virus from entering the country and to contain it in case the disease does occur.
Specifically, the centre has set up two body temperature scanners at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, which are operating around the clock to check passengers from international flights, the centre’s director Nguyen Van Sau said on February 1.
It also purchased medical equipment and chemicals to respond to the disease if it enters Vietnam. This week, the centre will spray the airport with chemical repellent to kill mosquitoes.
According to the Health Ministry’s Department of Preventive Medicine, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recorded the most number of Zika virus cases in the Americas and Africa.
Zika virus, first detected in Uganda’s Zika forest in 1947, is transmitted to humans through the Aedes mosquito which is also the main carrier of dengue fever.
It causes mild fever, rash, muscle pain, joint pain, headache, pain behind the eyes and conjunctivitis. There is currently no cure for Zika virus, and no vaccine for it.
The ministry has warned people travelling from Zika virus-struck countries that they should keep an eye on their health in the first 14 days after arrival to Vietnam. They should go to the nearest medical facility should they begin to experience fever.
It is also recommended that people should use mosquito chemical repellent and securely cover all containers of water - to prevent mosquitoes from entering them and laying eggs.-VNA
Vietnam has no case of Zika fever so far, but there is a high risk that the virus may enter and spread in the country, as it has been recorded in several other Southeast Asian nations.
No cases of Zika fever have been reported in Vietnam so far, but there is a high risk that the virus may enter the country due to the presence of Aedes mosquitos which transmit the virus, and trade, t
The increasing demand for food and rise in travelling during the lunar New Year holidays and the festival season will pose a high risk of disease outbreaks.
The Ministry of Health urged the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) to strengthen its monitoring and detection of suspects infected with Zika virus at a meeting on January 29.
Vietnam now boasts a nationwide healthcare network with 1,665 hospitals, 384 of which are non-public, supported by local commune- and ward-level stations. At the end of 2024, hospital bed capacity reached 34 per 10,000 people, slightly above the global average.
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After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
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The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the HCM CIty Department of Health.
Not only does Vietnam attract international tourists with its landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but it is also gradually becoming a reliable destination for medical treatment, offering high-quality services at reasonable costs.
Over the past six months, 150 communal health stations in provinces including Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Ben Tre and Ca Mau have been equipped with information technology systems. In addition, 117 key provincial healthcare workers have received training, with thousands more expected to follow.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Health swiftly launched a telemedicine programme, connecting more than 1,000 medical establishments nationwide. The model, which remains in operation, has benefited tens of thousands of patients, including foreign nationals.
After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
Illustrative image (Source: AFP)
