Vietnam tightens border quarantine to prevent Zika epidemic

The Ministry of Health has strengthened surveillance measures at border gates, screening with body temperature measuring machines, observing physical condition, and exploiting epidemiological history to promptly detect suspected cases of Zika virus infection.

According to the Ministry of Health's recommendations, Zika virus disease is an acute infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can break out into an epidemic, especially in countries where dengue fever is circulating like Vietnam. In the face of the complicated and rapid spread of the epidemic in many countries around the world and in the region without specific prevention and treatment measures, the Ministry of Health requires units to strengthen epidemic prevention by international medical quarantine measures, community surveillance, medical facilities, develop proactive plans to respond to epidemic prevention, spray chemicals to kill mosquitoes, handle outbreaks, and propagate to raise awareness of disease prevention and early detection.

The World Health Organization recommends that pregnant women should not travel to countries and territories with Zika virus outbreaks. Photo: Independent.

The Ministry of Health has issued an official document on guidelines for monitoring and preventing Zika virus disease. It requires relevant units to closely monitor passengers entering from countries and territories with Zika virus epidemics in order to detect suspected cases early. Border gate staff are trained to conduct screening tests using body temperature scanners, observe passengers' physical condition, take epidemiological history and conduct preliminary examinations. When a suspected case is detected, they will be temporarily isolated at the border gate and transferred to a medical facility for testing and management according to regulations.

A "suspected case" is defined as a person with a history of staying in, traveling to, or coming from an area with a Zika virus outbreak or suspected Zika virus outbreak within 12 days prior to onset, with fever, rash, and at least one of the following symptoms:

- Conjunctivitis.

- Joint pain, muscle pain.

- Headache.

People suspected of having the disease will be temporarily isolated to undergo medical testing as prescribed. In case of confirmation of Zika virus infection by molecular biology or virus isolation or serology, it is considered a confirmed disease and must be isolated immediately.

The Ministry also recommends that people, especially those traveling to, from, or returning from countries with epidemics, medical staff, employees working at border gates, and staff participating in Zika virus disease prevention work, proactively monitor their health and notify health authorities when symptoms appear.

To prevent disease in the community, everyone should regularly apply measures to kill larvae and mosquitoes. Regularly sleep under mosquito nets and use other measures to prevent and combat mosquito bites. Limit unnecessary travel to epidemic areas, especially for pregnant women and people with immunodeficiency diseases. If you have to go, you need to carefully research information about the epidemic situation at the destination to proactively apply appropriate infection prevention measures for yourself. People returning from epidemic areas should monitor their health for 12 days. If there are signs of suspected illness, they must immediately notify the nearest health facility for timely advice, isolation and treatment.

The Ministry also directed medical facilities and hospitals to urgently develop plans to prevent and control the Zika virus epidemic, fully prepare supplies, chemicals, and equipment, and ensure readiness to respond to epidemic situations. When an epidemic occurs, patients being treated at medical facilities need to use personal protective measures to avoid mosquito bites, minimizing complications and deaths. For households that detect someone suspected of being infected, they need to immediately notify the medical facility when symptoms appear.

According to VnExpress