Health sector making greatest efforts to control coronavirus epidemic

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Mr. Do XuanTuyen, Deputy Minister of Health, Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee for prevention and control of acute respiratory infections caused by the novel Coronavirus.

Regarding the risk of outbreak of acute respiratory syndrome associated with the novel Coronavirus in Vietnam, how has the health sector prepared to respond, sir?

Based on the current scenario, the Coronavirus epidemic in Vietnam is at level one with invasive cases. The health sector is ready with level two with localized infections and we have a plan to respond to level three with more than 20 local infection cases according to ASEAN standards.

To control the epidemic, the Ministry of Health has officially launched the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre; reported on the situationdaily; and directed localities to closely monitor, collect, and treat suspected infectioncases.

The Ministry of Health has set up a mobile team to prevent and combat acute respiratory disease caused by the novel Coronavirusin central and end-line hospitals to support lower-level hospitals on the orders of the Ministry of Health.

In addition, the ministry has also sent many documents to relevant agencies to strengthen surveillance of infectious diseases at border gates, health facilities and the community through regular monitoring systems and event-based surveillance (EBS). Especially, closely monitor the body temperatures of incoming passengers;observe the health situation of all incoming passengers from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China; and early detect, isolate and promptly handle suspected cases.

Regarding international cooperation, how has the health sector been implemented to reduce disease outbreak, sir?

Concerning thedevelopments of the epidemic, the Ministry of Health has directed the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre to update timely information from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the National Focal Point implementing the International Health Regulations, and the ASEAN office network of emergency response to verify and update information on the epidemic.

The Ministry of Health has issued a plan to prevent acute respiratory infections caused by the novel Coronaviruswith three levelsof disease outbreak. The Ministry also maintained the operation of thePublic Health Emergency OperationCentreat the Ministry of Health and localhospitals, assessed the risk of disease outbreak in Vietnam with the participation of international experts (WHO, US-CDC, FAO) and relevant agencies to promptly propose appropriate epidemic prevention and control measures.

With careful and active preparation in the past, can we expect the epidemic to be controlled, sir?

From the early days when the epidemic was likely to enter our country, the Ministry of Health had promptly joinedurgent meetings to respond to the epidemic. The Ministry has established many inspection teams for anti-epidemic activities at major international airports and border gates in Da Nang, NoiBai and Lang Son.

At noon on the 30thday of Lunar December, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam chaired a meeting with the Ministry of Health to proactively prevent the epidemic. After that, there were businessand inspection trips of the Deputy Prime Minister and leaders of the Ministry of Health to direct the prevention of the epidemic in key areas as well as in hospitals receiving cases and suspected cases caused by the Coronavirus.

In addition, the Ministry of Health has guided treatment regimens to 63 provinces and cities across the country. Accordingly, medical examination and treatment facilities are ready to respond to, collect, treat, and manage people suspected of suffering from acute respiratory infections caused by the novel Coronavirus, especially epidemiological factors of patients living or coming from China within 14 days.

Patients whose conditions aregetting severe or havetestedpositive for the novel Coronavirus will be moved to the central hospitals according to the treatment line.

Specifically, the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases will receive patients from the Northern region to Ha Tinh Province. If the hospital is full, patients will be transferred to Bach Mai Hospital, and National Hospital of Paediatrics.

Hue Central Hospital will receive patients in the central provinces from QuangBinh to Phu Yen and Central Highlands; and the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases will receive patients from KhanhHoa Province to the southern region. If the hospital is full, patients will be transferred to Cho Ray Hospital, Children's Hospital 1, Children's Hospital 2 and HCMC Paediatrics Hospital.

The community has been confused and worried about the epidemic. Do you have any specific recommendations, sir?

The health sector has been doing and will do its best to work with international organisations and agencies concerned to control the acute respiratory infections caused by the novel Coronavirus. The Ministry of Health has issued many documents, made recommendations to the people, avoiding confusion.

In epidemic prevention, attitude and cooperation of the people is the most important thing, the Ministry has therefore increased communication to the community to provide necessary preventive knowledge.

Accordingly, people should limit direct contact with people with acute respiratory infections; in case of contacting sick people, wearing a medical mask properly and keeping a distance with them is necessary. People need to keep warm, personal hygiene, wash their hands often with soap, mouthwash with antiseptic water to prevent pneumonia; cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, preferably with a cloth or handkerchief to reduce the spread of respiratory secretions.

Limit close contact with animal or wildlife. Those who return from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China or have close contact with a person with pneumonia in Wuhan City within 14 days need to immediately visit the nearest medical facility for timely consultation, examination and treatment if having signs of fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Thank you, Deputy Minister!