Under the newly implemented plan, surveillance at international entry points, including Tan Son Nhat International Airport and various seaports, will be significantly tightened while maintaining efficient travel flow. Remote thermal scanning systems have been activated to operate continuously, identifying any individuals exhibiting signs of fever.
Passengers arriving from or transiting through regions currently experiencing Nipah outbreaks who display suspected symptoms will undergo immediate, detailed epidemiological assessments by health workers and be isolated if necessary.
The municipal health sector has activated its community surveillance network to promptly detect potential cases or individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.
Regarding treatment preparedness, the city has instructed all medical facilities to immediately review their resources.
Personnel, medicines, specialized equipment, and isolation areas are being prepped to admit and treat patients should an outbreak occur. Doctors and frontline healthcare workers are receiving updated training on the latest diagnostic and treatment protocols, with infection control procedures being strengthened to ensure staff safety.
This proactive move follows a confirmation from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Feb. 7 regarding a death caused by the Nipah virus in Bangladesh. Additionally, two healthcare workers in West Bengal, India, were recently confirmed to have contracted the virus, raising regional alarms.
First identified in 1999, the Nipah virus previously caused over 100 deaths during outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore. It is classified by both the WHO and Vietnam’s Ministry of Health as a particularly dangerous pathogen due to its high fatality rate. The disease can cause acute encephalitis and rapid respiratory failure, with approximately 20% of survivors suffering from permanent neurological complications.
To date, Vietnam has not recorded any cases of the Nipah virus. However, the Ministry of Health advises the public to remain vigilant, specifically warning against consuming fruit that shows signs of being bitten by bats or birds and refraining from drinking raw palm sap or fresh coconut sap.
Experts note that while the Nipah virus primarily spreads through contact with bodily fluids from infected animals or humans, making it less transmissible than the virus causing Covid-19, the severity of individual cases remains high.
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