Vietnam has controlled the first case of monkeypox.

Leaders of the Department of Preventive Medicine visited and encouraged the first monkeypox patient in Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

According to information from the Ministry of Health, so far the first case of monkeypox in Vietnam has tested negative and those in close contact with the patient are safe, and no additional cases of monkeypox have been recorded.

Handling safety monitoring steps

On September 23, Ho Chi Minh City's health surveillance system reported a suspected case of monkeypox in a 35-year-old female patient who traveled from Dubai (UAE).

On September 25, both PCR tests performed at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute showed that the patient tested positive for monkeypox. This is also the first recorded case of monkeypox in Vietnam.

Professor Phan Trong Lan - Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) said that this is a case of a patient who contracted the disease abroad, returned to Vietnam after 4 days, recorded clinical symptoms on September 18 and returned to Vietnam on September 22, and on September 23 took the initiative to go to Tu Du Hospital for examination. After that, he was advised to go to the Dermatology Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, then transferred to the Tropical Diseases Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City. The entire technical expertise process at the treatment facilities has been recommended.

Regarding the source of infection, this case had been abroad for more than 60 days and showed symptoms abroad, meaning that the disease was contracted abroad, not in Vietnam. Since the suspected case was discovered, the patient has been considered a positive case, so the Ministry of Health and Ho Chi Minh City have handled all the steps of monitoring, testing, zoning... according to recommended guidelines.

Test results based on gene sequencing from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) determined that the patient had monkeypox with the Monkeypox virus strain belonging to clade IIb.

After a period of treatment, the first patient with monkeypox in Vietnam has no more fever, the blisters on the face, hands, feet... have dried, peeled off and formed new skin, the blisters in the throat have also healed, the pain has gone away. The patient eats well, gains weight, and is optimistic. PCR results of secretions from some tested locations on the patient's body are now negative.

During the treatment, the patient strictly followed the isolation procedure and handled personal belongings to avoid spreading to the community. Those who had close contact with the patient upon returning to Vietnam have not shown any suspicious symptoms.

In parallel with decoding the virus genome, doctors and medical staff of the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases treated and cared for the patient safely and effectively, while coordinating with the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control to investigate the epidemic, isolate, quarantine, and monitor relatives and medical staff who had close contact with the patient before.

Flexible epidemic prevention scenarios

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on October 12 that the number of cases in the global monkeypox outbreak has now exceeded 70,000, including 26 deaths.

Since the beginning of 2022, WHO has received reports of monkeypox outbreaks in 106 member states in all 6 regions. WHO also warned that the downward trend in the number of new cases does not mean people can be complacent.

The United States has the highest number of monkeypox cases in the world with more than 26,000 cases as of October 3.

According to Professor Phan Trong Lan, the entry of monkeypox into Vietnam is inevitable because in the current travel context, the disease can move from one country to another.

Although the monkeypox virus can be transmitted from animals to humans, health experts stress that the recent global spread is due to close contact with infected people.

Typical symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and rash or skin lesions.

Monkeypox causes a smallpox-like rash and scarring, mainly on the face, anus, and genitals.

People with the disease can spread it to others once they have symptoms, and the virus is spread through body fluids (pus or blood from skin lesions) and objects used by infected people.

Most cases recover after 10-14 days with normal immune systems and are no longer contagious after 21 days. However, to ensure the safety of yourself and the community, people need to take preventive measures against monkeypox as recommended by the health sector.

Currently, the health sector has developed scenarios for when there are no cases, when there are imported cases, and when there are cases of community transmission. The scenarios are flexible to ensure timely epidemic prevention.

Scenario 1: There are no cases of the disease entering Vietnam. Hospitals prepare facilities, isolation areas, equipment, human resources, medicines, supplies, chemicals, and means for epidemic prevention; develop internal procedures for receiving, isolating, and treating monkeypox patients. Hospitals also organize epidemic prevention drills.

Scenario 2: The disease enters Vietnam. At that time, the medical facility organizes a separate isolation treatment area for monkeypox patients; updates the procedures for receiving, isolating and treating patients in accordance with the reality at the facility. Organizes additional training for medical staff on treatment, infection prevention and control.

Scenario 3: The epidemic spreads to the community. At this time, the health sector expands the quarantine and treatment area, calculating the plan for self-isolation and treatment at home. Clinical departments, mobile emergency teams... participate in the fight against the epidemic. Patients are classified according to severity for treatment at appropriate levels, limiting movement.

According to VNA