Passengers at Chân Mây Port in the coastal central city of Huế.— Photo suckhoedoisong.vn

HÀ NỘI — With regional health authorities on alert over the possible cross-border spread of Nipah virus disease, the Ministry of Health has issued an urgent directive ordering medical facilities nationwide to step up prevention and control measures to ensure early detection and rapid response.

The request was made in an emergency dispatch released on Tuesday evening by the Department of Medical Service Administration to hospitals, health units of ministries and sectors and provincial and municipal health departments.

The department urged all medical facilities to strengthen disease prevention and control efforts, strictly implement personal protective measures for healthcare workers and people in close contact with suspected or confirmed cases and closely monitor individuals who have arrived from countries experiencing outbreaks within the past 14 days.

Medical institutions were instructed to reinforce inspection and supervision of infection prevention and control practices and to strictly isolate all suspected or confirmed Nipah virus cases within treatment facilities.

Healthcare providers were also asked to monitor and update information on global epidemic developments regularly and to strengthen risk communication to prevent public panic and promote compliance with disease prevention measures. Early detection of suspected cases for isolation, diagnosis, treatment and containment was emphasised.

The department said Nipah virus disease is classified as a Group A infectious disease, with a recorded fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 per cent. There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment.

The virus is primarily transmitted from animals to humans or through contact with contaminated objects and food and can also spread from person to person through direct contact with patients’ bodily fluids and secretions. The incubation period ranges from four to 14 days.

Symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat, followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness and neurological signs indicative of acute encephalitis.

Associate Professor Trần Đắc Phu, former Director General of the Department of Preventive Medicine, now the Department of Disease Prevention under the health ministry, said that while Nipah virus is a particularly dangerous pathogen with a high fatality rate, cases to date have only been reported sporadically on a small scale in a limited number of countries, without developing into large outbreaks.

“The most alarming aspect is the extremely high fatality rate,” Phu said.

Patients often present with fever, respiratory failure and, in particular, encephalitis, which carries a high risk of death. This is a zoonotic disease, with fruit bats serving as the natural reservoir. From bats, the virus can spread to intermediate hosts such as pigs and then to humans through direct contact or secretions.

In addition, Nipah virus can be transmitted from person to person, especially through close contact during care and treatment, the expert added.

According to the infectious disease surveillance system, between December 27, 2025, and January 26, 2026, India recorded five suspected Nipah virus cases, including two laboratory-confirmed cases, at a hospital in the state of West Bengal.

As of January 26, Việt Nam has not recorded any cases of Nipah virus infection.

Strengthening surveillance at border checkpoints

To proactively prevent the disease, the ministry has instructed local authorities to strengthen surveillance and epidemic prevention measures at border checkpoints, healthcare facilities and in the community, and to prepare response plans for potential outbreaks.

In the coastal central city of Huế, the municipal Centre for Disease Control has requested Phú Bài International Airport, Thừa Thiên Huế Maritime Authority, Chân Mây Port Border Guard Post, A Đớt and Hồng Vân border gates to closely coordinate with relevant agencies to step up passport checks for passengers arriving from affected areas and promptly notify health authorities of suspected cases.

Chân Mây Port Joint Stock Company and Phú Bài International Airport have also been instructed to carry out regular sanitation and disinfection at terminals, ports and public areas and to ensure adequate supplies of disinfectant and handwashing solutions in public spaces and restrooms.

On Tuesday, Thái Văn Tuấn, Director of the city’s CDC, said that the centre had issued a directive requiring relevant units to intensify surveillance and prevention of Nipah virus disease, citing the increasingly complex situation in India and growing international travel and trade, which heighten the risk of cross-border transmission.

The CDC has ordered that border checkpoints be equipped with working offices, isolation rooms, medical quarantine areas and infrared body temperature screening systems to facilitate temperature checks and the isolation of suspected or infected passengers upon entry.

In the coastal central city of Đà Nẵng, surveillance has also been strengthened at border gates, health care facilities, agencies and within the community, with a focus on monitoring inbound travellers, particularly those arriving from or transiting through countries experiencing outbreaks.

The Đà Nẵng CDC has been designated as the focal point for updating and consolidating epidemic information, advising on risk communication and developing contingency plans for Nipah virus prevention and control at border checkpoints.

International health quarantine and medical screening of inbound passengers are being intensified in accordance with regulations, with priority given to early detection of suspected symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and unusual fatigue, especially among those with epidemiological links to India.

Meanwhile, health care facilities in the city have been instructed to strengthen screening at reception and registration points, as well as during inpatient and outpatient treatment.

Upon detecting suspected cases, facilities must promptly assess epidemiological risk factors, implement temporary isolation and coordinate with the CDC and local health centres to apply disease control measures in line with regulations, ensuring safety while avoiding public panic.

All medical facilities have also been ordered to enhance infection control practices and fully implement personal protective measures for health care workers and individuals in close contact with suspected or confirmed cases. — VNS