Vietnam must still maintain its alert for H1N1 influenza virus, which caused the 2009 pandemic in the world, said a health official on August 16.
Deputy head of the Department of Preventive Health Nguyen Van Binh warned the national Health Ministry must keep an eye on the disease as outbreaks of H1N1 infection have recently re-occurred in Ho Chi Minh City.
Mr. Binh said although the World Health Organization declared an end to the H1N1 influenza pandemic and the world is no longer in phase 6 of the pandemic alert. However, WHO stressed continueous vigilance is extremely important and the localized outbreaks of different magnitude may show significant levels of H1N1 transmission.
In Vietnam, since the middle of July, some southern provinces have recorded some H1N1 cases; local governments have raised concerns over the returning of the disease in order to curb the wide spreading of the epidemic in the community.
Vietnam has reported 11,215 infected cases with 59 fatalities since May, 2009.
