Experts from the Bình Dương Department of Health discuss measures to control Mpox. — VNA/VNS Photo Chí Tưởng

BÌNH DƯƠNG — A Monkeypox (Mpox) patient was discovered in Bình Dương, a southern province, as announced by Huỳnh Minh Chín, the deputy director of the provincial Department of Health, on Monday afternoon.

Initial information indicates that the patient is N.K.L, a 22-year-old individual residing in a boarding house on Cống Xanh Street, Tân Bình Town, Bắc Tân Uyên District.

L. has been receiving treatment for tuberculosis for three months and is currently unemployed.

L. had contact with a Monkeypox patient on September 13.

From that day until September 23, L. stayed at the boarding house with her mother and younger sister and did not have contact with anyone else.

L.'s samples tested positive for Monkeypox at the Pasteur Institute in HCM City. She is now in quarantine at the Tân Uyên City Medical Centre for observation.

Following the Pasteur Institute's official dispatch No. 2974/PAS-KSBT issued on September 23 last year regarding Monkeypox reporting, the Bình Dương Department of Health has requested concerned units to investigate people who had contact with the aforementioned patients, implement quarantine measures, and prevent the spread to the community.

On Monday afternoon, the department issued an urgent letter requesting districts and towns in the province to intensify public education about the disease through various means.

Preventive measures recommended by the Ministry of Health should be conveyed to the local residents.

The department has tasked the provincial Centre for Disease Control with leading and overseeing disease prevention and control efforts.

This includes implementing quarantine and treatment for positive cases, with the aim of preventing fatalities and cross-infections among medical staff during the treatment process.

Any new cases must be monitored and reported in accordance with regulations.

City’s preventive work

The HCM City Centre for Disease Control (HCDC) announced on Monday evening that it had compiled a list of eight individuals who had close contact with a Monkeypox (Mpox) patient and instructed them to self-isolate at home for 21 days.

All of them are in stable condition.

The 25-year-old male patient, originally from Xuân Trường Commune, Xuân Lộc District, in Đồng Nai province in the southern part of Vietnam, was temporarily residing in HCM City.

He came for a health examination at HCM City Dermatology Hospital on September 22 due to suspected signs of Monkeypox.

The hospital collected his samples and sent them to the Pasteur Institute in HCM City.

One day later, test results confirmed that he was positive for the Monkeypox virus.

He was immediately placed in quarantine for treatment, and his boarding house and personal items were disinfected.

As of now, Việt Nam has reported a total of four cases of Monkeypox.

To proactively control the disease, HCDC recommends that people take measures such as covering their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, refraining from spitting in public places, and regularly washing their hands with soap and clean water or using hand sanitizer.

Individuals experiencing unexplained rashes or any suspicious symptoms should contact a medical facility for timely advice.

For those traveling to countries where Monkeypox is endemic, such as Central and West Africa, it is essential to report to local health authorities upon returning to Việt Nam to undergo necessary preventive measures. — VNS