Viet Nam announced the first case of monkeypox on Monday - a 35-year-old woman returning from Dubai on September 22 but until now, no further infections have been detected. Despite that, the Da Nang government has directed the healthcare sector, relevant units and localities to intensify testing, monitoring and handling of suspected cases in a timely manner according to the guidance of the Ministry of Health.

Currently, monkeypox is detected through the surveillance system at the border gates and the people's initiative in declaring related symptoms.

Functional forces at Da Nang International Airport are monitoring residents and tourists on entry to promptly detect monkeypox. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Symptoms of monkeypox

Monkeypox can be spread from animals to humans and humans to humans, and in some cases cause skin infection, pneumonia, eye problems, and even death. The disease tends to be more severe in children, pregnant women or immunocompromised people.

The incubation period is 5 to 21 days (usually 6 to 13 days). Monkeypox has symptoms similar to smallpox but differs in its systemic skin lesions and enlarged lymph nodes.

The main symptoms are rash and one or more of the following symptoms: 38-degree or higher fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle pain, back pain, and asthenia.

According to the Ministry of Health, if you have symptoms of monkeypox or have been in close contact with a person with monkeypox, contact your healthcare provider for advice, testing and medical care. At the same time, it is also necessary for you to self-isolate and avoid close contact with others.

According to the city's Centre for Disease Control, to actively prevent and control monkeypox, people need to cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and wash hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Those with an acute rash of unknown cause, accompanied by one or more suspected symptoms, should contact a medical facility for monitoring and counselling. At the same time, it is also necessary for them to self-isolate and avoid sex.

People are advised to avoid close and skin-to-skin contact with monkeypox-infected people and with infected objects and utensils.

People travelling to countries with monkeypox outbreaks should avoid contact with mammals (dead or alive) such as rodents and marsupials as they may contain the virus.

Ensuring food safety, practicing a healthy lifestyle, and increasing physical activities are also recommended.

Three scenarios

Doctor Tran Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Health, said that the city’s healthcare sector has developed a plan to prevent and control monkeypox with the goal of early detection of suspected cases to timely prevent the epidemic from spreading to the community.

Additionally, the healthcare sector developed 3 scenarios: there are no cases of monkeypox in the city, some cases of monkeypox are reported in the city, and the monkeypox epidemic spreads in the community.

The local healthcare sector intensifies checks and monitoring of high-risk points, as well as raises public awareness and vigilance for early detection of suspected cases and isolates and treats disease-infected cases at medical facilities as prescribed.

“Moreover, checks will be enhanced at patients' living areas, working and studying places, etc. Tracing activities and epidemiological investigation at border gates, in the community, and medical facilities must be carried out regularly” added Dr. Thuy.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG - Translating by M.DUNG