Hanoi told to stay alert for MERS cases

A delegation of the Ministry of Health led by Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien held a working session with the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases regarding the prevention of the current Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from infiltrating Vietnam and in handling any potential cases.

Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien (second from the left) at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases (VNA)
Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien (second from the left) at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases (VNA)

Speaking at the session, Minister Tien underscored the importance of supervision, especially at border gates, and personal protection for medical staff.

She also emphasised that rules on medical examination, isolation, treatment and the prevention of infection and cross-infection at hospitals must be strictly followed, while the methods of diagnosis and treatment of MERS must constantly be reviewed and updated.

The Ministry of Health has advised people to take steps to reduce the possibility of becoming infected with MERS such as limiting travel to affected areas and applying precautions such as washing hands with soap, and wearing a mask to avoid infecting others. If a person has visited an infected area and experiences any symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, they must immediately go to the nearest health department for screening.

According to the ministry, prevention measures are highly necessary as the possibility of MERS entering Vietnam and developing into an epidemic is high given that the disease is able to be spread through human contact.

The Ministry of Health has directed relevant units to detect and treat the first infection case as soon as possible to isolate the virus source.

MERS, first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012, belongs to a family of corona viruses including SARS, which devastated Asia in 2003.