As there is a high risk of reporting the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), together with other localities, the northern province of Quang Ninh is taking steps to prevent the disease from entering Vietnam.
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Temperature machines operated daily at Mong Cai international border gate. (Photo: baoquangninh.com.vn) |
Quang Ninh has up to 7 international border gates that see a large number of tourists going out and in. So far, 44 officials from the provincial International Medical Quarantine Centre have divided into 7 teams working at the border gates to promptly discover any suspected cases of MERS-CoV, with a focus on Mong Cai and Hon Gai border gates.
In addition, the teams have been provided with 3-5 chemical and temperature machines.
Since the beginning of this year, the provincial international medical quarantine centre has quarantined some 15,000 people entering Vietnam through Mong Cai and Hon Gai. To prepare for the prevention, the Mong Cai general hospital has put aside 20 sick-beds to be ready to receive any suspected patients.
According to Ninh Van Chu, Director of the provincial Preventive Health Department, since early 2014, the health sector has built up detailed plan for the prevention of the disease.
The provincial Health Department has also carried out a plan for prevention, including buying chemicals and protective clothes; preparing the environment for preserving and transporting medical samples; and disseminating information on the disease. Mobile prevention teams have been established in all hospitals and medical centres for mutual support in case of a spread of the disease. At present, medical foundations have reserved over 3,600 kilograms of cloramin B, 21 chemical machines and many other medical equipment and facilities which can serve the prevention.
On June 8th, during a meeting by the disease steering committee, Head of the Preventive Health Department under the Ministry of Health Tran Dac Phu affirmed that Vietnam had not recorded any cases of MERS-CoV. However, as the disease is undergoing complex development in the Republic of Korea and China, there is a high risk of the disease occurrence in Vietnam.
According to the World Health Organization, the disease has spread to 26 countries with 1,218 cases, including 450 fatalities./.