'We are not worried but must be proactive in disease prevention'

The conference took place in person and online, connecting the Ministry of Health with the People's Committees, Departments of Health of localities, and units under the Ministry of Health in regions.

In her speech at the conference, Minister Dao Hong Lan said that the current infectious disease situation in the world is still complicated, especially diseases transmitted through the respiratory tract.

We do not worry but must be proactive in disease prevention work. — The COVID-19 epidemic remains complicated at the end of the year (photo TL).

In late 2023 and early 2024, many countries, including those in the region, recorded an increase in the number of cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 and respiratory diseases.

Minister Dao Hong Lan cited information from the World Health Organization, saying that in December 2023, the world recorded nearly 10,000 deaths from COVID-19, and the number of hospitalizations increased by 42% compared to November 2023. The COVID-19 epidemic is still complicated, unpredictable, and unstable.

Immunity from infection or vaccination decreases over time; the virus is constantly changing, most recently the JN.1 variant (12/2023) has increased rapidly globally. Many countries around the world and in the region have recorded a resurgence of COVID-19 infections along with the spread of other respiratory diseases...

In the country, according to Minister Dao Hong Lan, respiratory diseases and seasonal flu also arise frequently at the end of the year. Hanoi has also recently recorded an increase in patients with influenza A and B.

During the upcoming Tet holiday, the demand for trade and tourism is increasing. At the same time, this is also the time when the weather is harsh and unpredictable.

These are factors that increase respiratory diseases, especially in the elderly, people with chronic diseases, children...

"On the one hand, we are not worried, but we must be proactive in disease prevention to ensure a safe Tet holiday, as well as proactive and effective disease prevention in 2024," Minister Dao Hong Lan emphasized.

The head of the health sector said that the Ministry of Health has issued Directive No. 01/CT-BYT on strengthening medical work to ensure a happy, healthy, safe and economical Tet holiday, in which localities and units are required to deploy measures to ensure the prevention and control of infectious diseases, especially respiratory diseases, diseases that often occur during the 2024 Lunar New Year and the first festival season of the year.

Also at this conference, the Ministry of Health's report mentioned continuing to closely monitor and follow developments of the epidemic situation (COVID-19, monkeypox, dengue fever, hand, foot and mouth disease, diphtheria, etc.); assess, analyze, comment and forecast the epidemic situation.

Strengthening disease prevention, surveillance and control, enhancing regular surveillance, event-based surveillance to detect early cases and pathogens right at border gates, at medical facilities and in the community to handle promptly, thoroughly and deploy safe and effective vaccination.

Well organize patient admission and treatment plans, strictly implement infection control and effectively deploy line guidance work, improve diagnostic and treatment capacity;

Proactively update information on the epidemic situation, recommend people to raise awareness, change health protection behavior and implement epidemic prevention requirements.

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