Northern, central provinces increase watch on MERS-CoV

In Thua Thien-Hue, about 120 travel agencies were provided with a list of MERS-CoV affected countries so that they can keep an eye on visitors from these countries alongside a hotline number for emergency. The provincial Department of Health also handed out leaflets and provided trainings on the epidemic prevention for staff from travel agencies and tourist accommodations.
The locality recommended that the firms should not operate tours to affected areas and coordinate closely with relevant agencies to conduct quarantine procedures for foreign visitors from affected countries.
The provincial Health Department has been organising trainings and exercises on preventing and coping with MERS-CoV for medical staff at all hospitals and medical stations across the province.
Meanwhile, Nam Dinh province has put in place a plan of actions to counter the virus with three specific scenarios. Hospital staff have received training on diagnosis, treatment and care for MERS-CoV patients.
The province also launched many education campaigns for communities on the risk of MERS-CoV outbreak and recommended people coming back from affected countries, such as the Middle East, the Republic of Korea and China, to monitor their own health within 14 days of arrival and urgently go to any hospital or medical unit if they have fever or cough.
It has been keeping watch on the health of 65 foreign experts and workers from these countries.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated a total of 1,357 MERS-CoV cases, including 486 deaths, by the end of June.
Vietnam has so far not had any MERS-CoV cases.