The Ministry of Health on July 15 convened a meeting to discuss the problem of infection of respiratory syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) from the Middle Eastern countries into Vietnam.
Following a World Health Organization (WHO) warning of the spread of Corona Virus, the Ministry has asked all hospitals across the country to raise awareness of the new virus strain.
Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Health Minister, has asked healthcare workers to maintain vigil especially at medical units in border crossings and to immediately quarantine any infected cases.
Tran Nhu Duong, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said at the meeting that since June, Vietnam has tested 48 suspected infectious cases but none were detected with MERS-CoV.
The World Health Organization is working on precautionary measures to curb the spread of the virus. From September 2012, WHO has been informed of a total of 82 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV, including 45 reported deaths in the globe.
Most cases were from Saudi Arabia, with 65 confirmed cases including 37 deaths. Worse still, from July 6-9, Saudi Arabia reported 16 more positive cases, with eight showing no symptoms, but test results proving positive.
Four healthcare workers and four children, ranging from seven to 15 years of age, were infected following contact with confirmed cases in hospital.
Medical workers said all patients suffered breath infection at first and then breathing and viscera failure. People of all ages can be infected with the virus, especially elderly people, males and people suffering from chronic diseases, said WHO.
Individuals with acute respiratory illness of any degree of severity, who within 14 days before onset of illness were in close physical contact with a confirmed or probable case of MERS-CoV infection, could also get severely infected.
Human-to-human transmission of MERS-CoV has now been documented in several cases, confirmed WHO.
