After Viet Nam's first monkeypox case was recorded in Ho Chi Minh City on October 3, Da Nang has prepared a response plan to cope with the epidemic.

The prophylactic isolation area for monkeypox patients at the Da Nang General Hospital.

The municipal healthcare sector has already developed a plan to prevent and control this disease with the goal of early detection and timely handling of infected cases to prevent the disease from spreading to the community.

Like COVID-19 patients, the Da Nang General Hospital will arrange a separate isolation room to receive and give medical treatment to monkeypox patients. Initially, the hospital’s Department of Tropical Medicine will be responsible for receiving and treating suspected or confirmed cases of monkeypox. Human resources from other clinical departments will be mobilised when needed.

In addition, all clinical departments in the hospital, especially the Department of Medical Examinations, are asked to actively detect suspected cases based on definitions and symptoms of monkeypox.

Continuous efforts will be made to strengthen comprehensive examinations and take full medical history in order to detect early cases of monkeypox, especially for arrivals.

The hospital plans to organise a training course to provide guidelines about diagnosis, treatment and prevention of monkeypox infections with invited lecturers from the municipal Pediatrics and Maternity Hospital.

According to the Da Nang Department of Health, the unit has developed the plan based on the guidance of the Ministry of Health on monkeypox prevention and control. When a case appears in Da Nang, people in close contact with the monkeypox-infected patient must wear such personal protective measures as medical masks, eyeglasses, gloves, and protective hats.

Next, the healthcare sector proactively investigates travel history of monkeypox patients, and raises public awareness and vigilance of the disease to detect early cases of suspected disease as defined, and at the same time isolates and treats them at medical facilities as prescribed.

In addition, relevant units continue to disinfect the environment of the outbreak, and the patients’ housing area and workplace. Tracing, surveillance, epidemiological investigation, and communication activities at border gates and medical facilities, and in the communities, must be implemented regularly.

Medical staff are ready to respond to monkeypox.

Sanitation staff at the hospital will be assigned to clean 3 times/day to ensure a clean space for patients.

Reporting by CHANH LAM - Translating by M.DUNG