In Vietnam, the Covid-19 situation is still under control; The number of recorded cases is low, scattered in some localities and most have mild symptoms or no symptoms. As a result of monitoring pathogens, no new or unusual variants have been recorded, according to the Ministry of Health…
Information about the situation of winter-spring epidemics and respiratory transmitted diseases, the Ministry of Health said that in recent times, the Infectious Disease Surveillance System has recorded information about an increase in cases. respiratory diseases and cases of influenza A(H5/N1), Covid-19 in some countries in the region.
In China, on November 13, 2023, an increase in the number of cases of respiratory diseases was reported; At the same time, a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown cause in children was recorded in some northern provinces of China.
On November 26, 2023, China’s National Health Commission held a press conference and determined that the main cause was due to the current winter, cold weather, and unusual changes.
In Malaysia and Singapore, the number of Covid-19 cases has increased by 50-100% per week; In Singapore, the number of hospitalizations due to Covid-19 increased by about 65% in the week from November 26 to December 2, 2023.
Health authorities of these countries believe that the reason for the resurgence in the number of Covid-19 cases is due to reduced people’s immunity and increased trade during the tourist season and year-end festivals.
Currently in the Winter-Spring season, unusual seasonal changes in weather are the cause of the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, especially respiratory diseases such as flu, measles, and rubella. , whooping cough…, potential risk of infectious disease outbreaks.
This is also the time when demand for trade and tourism increases at the end of the year, creating favorable conditions for pathogens to spread, possibly increasing the number of infectious diseases and respiratory diseases. respiratory tract, especially for groups at high risk of disease such as children with weak resistance and the elderly with underlying diseases.
In Vietnam, sentinel surveillance has been carried out since 2005 with severe viral pneumonia (SVP) surveillance, and since 2006 with influenza syndrome surveillance (ILI) to early detect new respiratory agents. can spread quickly, with high risk of death to promptly respond to epidemic outbreaks.
Results of 10 years of influenza syndrome surveillance in Vietnam show that influenza viruses circulate year-round with an annual influenza incidence rate of about 21%; Of which about 39.2% is influenza B, 31.1% is influenza A/H3 and 29.7% is influenza A/H1N1.
Particularly for the Covid-19 epidemic, Dr. Hoang Minh Duc, Deputy Director in charge, management and administration of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) informed that in Vietnam, the Covid-19 situation is still under control; The number of recorded cases is low, scattered in some localities and most have mild symptoms or no symptoms; The number of hospitalizations and the number of seriously ill patients at treatment facilities is low.
As a result of monitoring the pathogen, no new or unusual variants have been recorded.
Dr. Hoang Minh Duc, Deputy Director in charge, management and administration of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) said that currently Vietnam has not recorded new strains of Covid-19.
According to Mr. Duc, Covid-19 has now moved to a group B infectious disease, which is a group with a low mortality rate.
To continue effective and sustainable control of Covid-19 and to be prepared and proactively respond in case Covid-19 returns, the Ministry of Health has issued a Plan for sustainable control and management of the epidemic. Covid-19 disease, period 2023-2025, including a ready plan to ensure medical work in case the Covid-19 epidemic has a new, more dangerous mutation, a large-scale outbreak, beyond capacity of the system.
“Currently, we mainly monitor and manage, and most importantly, wait to see if new strains appear or not. Currently, Vietnam and the world have not yet recorded new strains. Vietnam still considers Covid-19 a group B infectious disease, similar to seasonal flu,” Mr. Duc said.
Based on the strategies and recommendations of the World Health Organization, the Department of Preventive Medicine also coordinates with relevant units to develop guidelines and plans to implement key surveillance integrating Covid-19 and influenza. and respiratory agents to early detect new agents, including new variants of SARS-CoV-2, and monitor changes in the spread and severity of the disease.
Covid-19 began to be recorded in Vietnam in early 2020; Through 4 outbreaks, Vietnam has recorded over 11.6 million cases and over 43,000 deaths; More than 99% of cases were recorded in the period 2020-2022.
Although Covid-19 has spread in the community, most cases of the disease have mild, flu-like symptoms, making it difficult to detect with current surveillance methods.
The number of infections and deaths due to Covid-19 in Vietnam has now decreased sharply and from October 20, 2023, Covid-19 has been classified as a group B infectious disease and sustainable management of Covid-19 has been implemented.
Currently, to prevent and control respiratory transmitted diseases, the Ministry of Health recommends that people continue to proactively implement personal disease prevention measures as follows:
– Wear a mask at medical facilities, on public transport and in crowded places.
– Regularly wash your hands with clean water, soap or hand sanitizer; rinse your mouth and throat with mouthwash; Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
– Practice good environmental hygiene, personal hygiene, keep the body warm, exercise, play sports, and improve physical condition.
– Eat cooked food and drink cooked food; Ensuring food safety in slaughtering livestock and poultry and processing products from livestock and poultry.
– Avoid contact with people with symptoms of respiratory diseases such as cough, fever, difficulty breathing… and when there are signs of illness, immediately go to the nearest medical facility for timely consultation, examination and treatment.