The Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health announced that the city has detected its first case of monkeypox and will soon provide an official announcement regarding this case.
At the meeting of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health on the status of disease outbreaks and key activities for the fourth quarter of 2022 on the morning of October 3, Director Tang Chi Thuong stated that one of the main tasks of the health sector is to effectively control the Covid-19 epidemic; enhance activities to prevent dengue fever, and reduce the number of deaths caused by dengue.
In addition, controlling emerging diseases such as monkeypox is also a priority. Recently, thanks to effective surveillance and control efforts, the health sector has detected one case of monkeypox. Official information regarding this case will be announced soon.
Vietnam reports its first case of monkeypox. (Photo: mufid_majnun).
“Recently, the city has discovered a case of monkeypox thanks to effective surveillance and control efforts. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health will soon provide official information regarding this case,” said the Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health is coordinating with relevant units to tighten the prevention and control measures for monkeypox.
Previously, immediately after monkeypox was declared a public health emergency, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health swiftly implemented surveillance measures for monkeypox during the period before any cases were reported.
Residents experiencing symptoms such as fever above 38 degrees Celsius, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, or fatigue should immediately report to their local health station.
Specifically, regarding health quarantine at border gates, the department has instructed the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) to monitor body temperature and symptoms of acute vesicular rashes in all individuals entering through air and sea routes to detect suspicious cases early.
If a suspicious case is detected, health quarantine officials will examine the individual, gather information, and create an epidemiological investigation form. After the epidemiological investigation, if it is a potential case (showing clinical symptoms and epidemiological factors), the health quarantine officer will guide the individual to the Ho Chi Minh City Tropical Diseases Hospital or other general hospitals with isolation areas for examination and monitoring.
HCDC is responsible for developing communication content, guiding individuals entering the country with suspicious symptoms or epidemiological factors to report to health quarantine officials at the border gate for support and consultation.
For screening at initial healthcare facilities, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has requested units to enhance communication to the public, advising those with suspicious symptoms to visit the nearest district or county hospital for consultation, screening, and diagnostic testing (if necessary).
Public hospitals, specialized hospitals, and private hospitals (including hospitals under various ministries located in the area) must arrange examination rooms for suspected cases to be screened, triaged, and guided to the screening examination room.
Samples can be sent to the Ho Chi Minh City Tropical Diseases Hospital or the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City for confirmatory diagnostic testing. While waiting for test results, patients should be guided to self-isolate at home (if conditions allow and they do not have severe symptoms) or isolate in the hospital’s isolation area.
Additionally, to provide advice on the detection and prevention of monkeypox to each household in the area, the health sector will mobilize its health education communication network; community health collaborators such as population collaborators, volunteers, etc. These organizations will also participate in contact tracing when there are positive cases of monkeypox in the area.
