The Preventative Medicine and Environment Department under the Ministry of Health has confirmed that there are no cases of swine flu in Vietnam after a warning was issued about the epidemic in the US and Mexico.

The Ministry of Health said in a release on April 27 that it has brought in a number of preventive measures to keep the country free from the disease to avoid any chance of it spreading to Vietnam from the two countries where over 1,200 cases have tested positive to the H1N1 virus.

The Ministry has directed all hospitals, health services, preventive medicine centres and international quarantine stations to tighten up their operations, especially at border gates. They must also be geared up to make an early diagnosis of any suspected cases and take all possible measures to stamp out the disease if any outbreaks are reported.

Campaigns have been launched to raise the public’s awareness of the importance of keeping a high standard of personal hygiene and washing their hands with soap, especially after coming into contact with any body fluids. The ministry also warned patients with acute respiratory problems to keep away from crowds and wear face masks.

The Preventive Medicine and Environment Department also announced a policy applicable to people who have arrived in Vietnam within the last seven days, who are suspected of carrying the swine flu virus.

On releasing a list of symptoms, the department directed any suspected cases to seek medical help and report their travel itineraries so medical services can take the necessary steps to prevent the disease from breaking out.

The Health Ministry said it has been working closely with the World Health Organisation’s office in Vietnam and is closely following the international developments to keep the epidemic at bay.

Vietnam is well experienced in dealing with epidemics and is well furnished with the facilities to cope with emerging deadly pandemics such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), bird flu and the current swine flu./.