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Jun 07, 2018 / 15:22

Vietnam records no cases of Ebola virus infection so far

Vietnam has not recorded any Ebola infections to date, Deputy Head of the Health Ministry’s Preventive Medicine Department Dang Quang Tan has announced.

During a recent meeting of the Vietnam Public Health Emergency Operation Centre in Hanoi, Tan said there are no direct flights between Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
Only about 30 passengers from DR Congo recently checked in Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. 
 
Vietnam records no cases of Ebola virus infection. Photo: VNA
Vietnam records no cases of Ebola virus infection. Photo: VNA
According to him, DR Congo recorded the first Ebola case in 1976. The outbreak erupted in three Western African countries from 2014 to 2016 and reappeared in early April 2018 in DR Congo. 
As of May 29 this year, 58 people in DR Congo had been infected with Ebola during the latest epidemic, killing 27 of them. 
Speaking at the event, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said the risk of Ebola infection in Vietnam is low because infections mostly occur in sparely-populated and remote areas. However, agencies should stay alert to the epidemic. 
He said the Health Ministry is working with international organizations to keep track of the epidemics as well as strengthening supervision in communities, border gates and hospitals. 
Long asked health sector to enhance training of health officials on disease discovery, prevention and treatment. 
 
Workshop on Ebola prevention at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City). Photo: nld.com.vn
Workshop on Ebola prevention at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City). Photo: nld.com.vn
Localities were required to oversee other epidemics such as influenza A/H1N1, A/H7N9, dengue fever and MER-CoV virus.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued Official Letter 606/KCB-NV to hospitals, suggesting to increase vigilance, early detection and prevention for Ebola virus infection.
Under the Official Letter, to May 31, the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 58 suspected cases of Ebola, including 27 deaths. At present, the disease does not have specific drugs.
The Vietnamese Department of Medical Examination asks for increased vigilance and early detection of Ebola virus infection cases into Vietnam; to train healthcare staff on the diagnosis and treatment to handle the symptoms for early detection of Ebola virus infection cases.