There is an observable risk that some dangerous infectious diseases currently prevalent somewhere else in the globe, especially the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV), may make their way to Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Health’s General Department of Preventive Medicine.

At a workshop with the media in the northern city of Hai Phong on June 4, Director of the department Tran Dac Phu confirmed that no MERS-CoV cases have yet been recorded in the country, as that of avian influenza type A strains H7N9 and H5N6, which hit China last year.

However, flu virus H5N1 has caused the death of two people so far this year, Phu said.

He reported that measles has been managed, evidenced by decreases in both fatality and new patients. A fall has also been seen in the number of patients suffering from other infectious diseases.

The ministry has so far this year recorded 9,746 dengue cases in 42 of the 63 cities and provinces with seven deaths, down 40.8 percent in the patient number and four deaths from a year earlier.

There have been 24,730 hand-foot-mouth patients in 62 provinces with two deaths reported, down 13.9 percent in the case number and seven deaths against last year’s same period.

Meanwhile, with 5,031 cases so far, measles has appeared in all the localities across the country, yet it has eased in recent weeks.

The official, however, warned that the current summertime is favourable for such catching diseases like hand-foot-mouth and dengue fever to spread.

He added travelling across regions and neighbouring countries amid poor hygiene conditions also poses a risk of disease outbreak.

At the workshop, participants were updated on measures to prevent the diseases.

The department announced that its will closely supervise the situation, take intensive actions at vulnerable areas and step up publicity campaigns to raise public awareness of the issue.-VNA