Ministry of Health requests to strengthen monitoring and treatment of monkeypox

Regarding the two monkeypox cases recently recorded in Vietnam, the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) has proposed to strengthen the treatment of positive cases, avoid deaths, prevent cross-infection, and infection of medical staff...

On September 26, the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) sent a document to the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City; Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health; Dong Nai Department of Health and Binh Duong Department of Health regarding strengthening prevention of monkeypox.

According to the document of the Department of Preventive Medicine, information from the Infectious Disease Surveillance System, on September 23, 2023, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 1 case of a male, 25 years old, permanent resident of Xuan Truong commune, Xuan Loc, Dong Nai, currently temporarily residing in Vo Vap, Ho Chi Minh City, positive for monkeypox.

In the past week, the patient had contact with his girlfriend temporarily residing in Tan Uyen City, Binh Duong Province. His girlfriend currently has symptoms of monkeypox (pustular rash around the genitals); there is no record of the patient traveling abroad or having contact with foreigners within 21 days of testing positive for monkeypox.

In order to promptly monitor and detect cases early, control the epidemic in time to prevent monkeypox outbreaks, and minimize the number of cases and deaths, the Ministry of Health requests the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces to pay attention to directing the implementation of many epidemic prevention activities.

For the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces, the Department of Preventive Medicine recommends strengthening the monitoring and prevention of monkeypox in the area according to the guidance of the Ministry of Health in Decision No. 2265/QD-BYT dated August 22, 2022 on promulgating temporary guidelines for monitoring and prevention of monkeypox.

The Department of Preventive Medicine notes that it is necessary to proactively, coordinately, and urgently investigate all cases of contact with the above-mentioned monkeypox positive case to determine the source of infection in order to promptly manage and handle the outbreak (if any) to prevent the epidemic from spreading widely in the community.

Medical units organize treatment of positive cases, avoid deaths, prevent cross-infection and infection of medical staff during care and treatment; Carry out communication work in many forms to inform people about the epidemic situation and preventive measures to avoid unnecessary panic and worry...

For the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Preventive Medicine requested timely support and guidance on expertise and techniques for localities in monitoring, sampling, diagnosing and zoning off monkeypox outbreaks.