Vietnam taking steps to cope with new coronavirus epidemic

First detected in December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the acute pneumonia caused by the new corona virus has spread to multiple cities and provinces in China and more than 20 other countries and territories including Vietnam.

All-out efforts

Vietnam has established 4 Sub-Committees to respond to the outbreak. The National Steering Committee for nCoV Response is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.

Vietnam has strengthened precautions and ensured that all clinics and hospitals are taking prevention and control measures. It has stepped up testing, cooperating and information sharing enabling doctors at Cho Ray hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and the Thanh Hoa provincial hospital to successfully treat and cure the first confirmed cases.

Successful incubation and isolation of the new coronavirus strain in the laboratory has facilitated nCoV testing.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said, “Vietnam has taken its strongest disease response ever. We successfully contained SARS in 2003 thanks to isolation measures. This time we began implementing disease control measures earlier and with strict isolation we hope that we will contain the nCoV epidemic.”

Along the Vietnam-China border, relevant agencies have restricted border crossings to keep people from nCoV affected areas from entering Vietnam. People returning from China and other affected countries will be quarantined.

Nguyen Xuan Ky, Party Secretary of Quang Ninh province, which borders China said, “It’s our primary task to prevent, control, and respond to the epidemic. We have allocated the best of our human and material resources to this effort.”

Vietnam has cancelled many spring festivals and closed all public schools to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

International applause

The country has also donated medical equipment and supplies to China to cope with the epidemic. Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung said “They are the best medical equipment that Vietnam has. Due to the epidemic, Vietnam really needs medical equipment and medicines. This gift reflects the friendship and close bonds between the two countries.”

The Vietnam Red Cross has raised more than 100,000 USD to help the Chinese. The World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam said Vietnam has been managing the coronavirus outbreak very well adding that the country activated the response system at very early stage of the epidemic.