Vietnam Fails to Monitor Health Status of Travelers from Ebola Areas

Health officials of Ho Chi Minh City have failed to conduct health surveillance on travelers entering Vietnam from Ebola-infected nations, triggering concerns over the disease’s spreading to the country. The number of travelers from Ebola areas to HCM City has hit 18 since early August, but only four of them could be contacted, said Nguyen Tri Dung, director of the municipal Preventative Medicine Center. In order to prevent and fight against the epidemic, the Ministry of Health has issued technical documents on how to monitor, prevent, and treat diseases caused by Ebola virus. Accordingly, all passengers from Ebola-infected areas have been warned to apply preventive measures against the virus in 21 days since they left the areas as well as contact healthcare agencies if necessary. There are now 116 Vietnamese citizens living and working in Ebola-infected areas, but none of them have contracted the contagious disease. In Vietnam, no Ebola case has been reported to date. (www.dantri.com.vn Sept 4)