Accordingly, the municipal Department of Health has instructed preventive healthcare units not to be complacent or negligent in disease surveillance and prevention efforts. The department assigned the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control to further strengthen monitoring activities at border gates by observing unusual health symptoms among inbound travelers, while thoroughly reviewing epidemiological factors, travel history, and residency history.
Aviation, maritime, and international health quarantine units have been requested to coordinate closely in the early detection of suspected cases while remaining fully prepared with procedures for handling, isolation, and safe transportation when suspected infections are identified. Relevant agencies are also required to regularly update the latest recommendations from the World Health Organization and Vietnam’s Ministry of Health, while continuously assessing risks to implement appropriate response measures aimed at safeguarding public health in Ho Chi Minh City.
Individuals who have had close contact with confirmed cases are required to undergo health monitoring for 21 days and restrict international travel during the monitoring period. Confirmed patients may only be discharged from the hospital or permitted to travel after obtaining at least two consecutive negative test results taken at least 48 hours apart, in order to ensure infection prevention and control safety.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health will continue organizing training sessions and updating medical facilities on infection control procedures, the use of personal protective equipment, and protocols for handling suspected cases to ensure readiness in the event of disease outbreaks entering the city.
On May 17, the World Health Organization officially declared the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
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