The Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH) is closely monitoring the situation in the areas bordering with China following news of a pneumonia outbreak in the neighboring country, Vnexpress reported.

China has reported several cases of acute pneumonia in Hubei province's Wuhan city, 1,500 km northeast of the border, since December, according to the ministry’s General Department of Preventative Medicine.

Illustrative photo. Source: AP

While the outbreak of the viral pneumonia is already a fact, it is unclear whether it is transmissible from person to person.

So far, 41 Chinese people in Wuhan have been infected with the virus, which has been identified as a new type of coronavirus by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. Of the patients, a 61-year-old man, has died.

While no infection has been recorded to date in Vietnam, Vietnamese health authorities have stepped up control of Chinese inbound guests at border gates. Any person found with noticeable symptoms will be quarantined.

Vietnam prepares to deal with pneumonia virus from China

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on January 16 requested Vietnam’s relevant ministries to take measures to control pneumonia and prevent the epidemic from spreading into Vietnam.

He requested ministries and localities to closely monitor the disease situation, strengthen medical quarantine at border gates, airports and seaports.

The Ministry of Health is asked to collaborate with the World Health Organization to keep the people updated on the situation and devise preventive measures; strengthen surveillance and prevention for the epidemic; ensure sufficient facilities, supplies, equipment, professional and technical instructions and staff.

The Ministry of Information and Communications is tasked with providing timely and accurate information, supplied by the MoH, on the epidemic, prevention and control measures.

Ministry advises protection protocol against pneumonia virus from China

Vietnam’s Health Ministry has listed several steps for people to protect themselves from the new pneumonia virus in China, VnExpress cited a statement last Saturday.

The ministry advised residents to stay away from people with acute respiratory infections and wear a mask when making contact to them.

The people have been told to bundle up well, maintain personal hygiene, especially cleaning hands regularly with soap and gargling with antiseptic rinse.

People should also cover their mouths and noses with a tissue when coughing or sneezing so as to avoid spreading their respiratory tract fluid, and avoid staying close to animal farms or wild animals, it added.