Preventing Nipah disease outbreaks early and remotely.

Recommendations from the Lang Son health sector:

- Faced with the risk of Nipah virus infection – a dangerous virus with a high mortality rate and no vaccine available – the provincial health sector has proactively implemented a comprehensive set of surveillance and control measures to avoid being caught off guard in any situation.

Nipah virus is a particularly dangerous infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and from person to person, causing acute encephalitis, respiratory failure, and a high mortality rate.

Officials from the Lang Son Provincial International Health Quarantine Center monitor the body temperature of incoming passengers at the Huu Nghi International Border Gate.

Medical "shields" at border crossings

At the end of January 2026, the Huu Nghi International Border Gate saw a significant increase in the volume of people and vehicles entering and exiting the country ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. Alongside border guards and customs officers, international health quarantine officials were on duty from early morning, conducting temperature checks, verifying health declarations, and closely monitoring cases with epidemiological risk factors. Passengers arriving from or passing through the border area where dangerous infectious diseases were being reported were instructed by health officials to monitor their health and reminded of necessary preventive measures.

As someone who frequently escorts tour groups through border crossings, Ms. Be Thi Loan, a tour guide at Lang Son Tourism and Import-Export Joint Stock Company, said: "Recently, health quarantine work has been implemented strictly but flexibly, facilitating immigration and emigration activities. Quarantine officers disseminate information about diseases and guide people on prevention methods, ensuring both safety and convenience for businesses and tourists. When we receive information about dangerous diseases around the world, we feel reassured because we see the proactive approach of the functional forces at the border crossing."

Officials from the Lang Son Provincial International Health Quarantine Center are disseminating information on disease prevention and control to incoming travelers at the Huu Nghi International Border Gate.

Not only at Huu Nghi International Border Gate, but also at other border gates in the province, health quarantine measures are being implemented comprehensively and strictly. On border routes with high volumes of people and goods such as Tan Thanh, Coc Nam, Chi Ma, etc., international health quarantine forces maintain 24/7 duty, strengthening surveillance and monitoring of the disease situation for people and vehicles entering and exiting the country.

Mr. Luong Hoang Huan, Head of the Medical Quarantine and Treatment Department, Provincial International Medical Quarantine Center, and in charge of the Tan Thanh Border Gate Medical Quarantine Team, informed: Although Nipah virus has not yet appeared in the country, in anticipation of the risk of an outbreak, the unit has proactively developed a plan, assigned staff on duty, and prepared sufficient quarantine equipment and facilities, ready to respond to any arising situations. At the same time, it has closely coordinated with functional forces to promptly detect suspected cases. To date, through medical quarantine work at the Tan Thanh border gate, no suspected cases of dangerous infectious diseases, including Nipah virus, have been detected.

Prepare response scenarios.

Given the complex developments of the pandemic worldwide, the Ministry of Health has continuously issued directives, requiring localities, especially provinces with international border gates, to strengthen border health surveillance and quarantine, and to prepare response plans in case of emergencies.

In line with that directive, the provincial health sector quickly implemented it with solutions tailored to the specific characteristics of the border area.

Mr. Phan Lac Hoai Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Health, stated: Facing the risk of the dangerous infectious disease Nipah virus entering the country, the Department of Health has directed its affiliated units to raise their vigilance and implement comprehensive disease prevention measures at a high level, focusing on border areas, medical facilities, and the community; tightening international health quarantine, strengthening epidemiological surveillance, and preparing sufficient personnel, equipment, medical supplies, and response scenarios. Early detection and timely treatment are key factors in protecting public health.

Nipah virus - a dangerous disease that requires vigilance.

• This is a dangerous infectious disease that spreads from animals to humans and can also spread from person to person.
• Symptoms include fever, headache, and fatigue; severe cases may lead to encephalitis and respiratory failure.
• The mortality rate is high, and there is no vaccine or specific treatment available.
• The risk of infiltration arises through international travel and interaction.
• Proactive prevention, early detection, and timely treatment are necessary.

Following directives from the Department of Health, along with frontline border checkpoints, medical facilities throughout the province are placed on high alert.

Hospitals and regional health centers should review their procedures for receiving, triaging, admitting, and isolating patients with suspected symptoms of dangerous infectious diseases; organize professional training, and improve the capacity to detect abnormal cases early.

Acting as the "gatekeeper" of disease outbreaks in the community, monitoring and communication efforts are being intensified by commune and ward health stations, especially in densely populated areas. Dong Kinh ward, being a central area with a high population density and frequent movement and trade, poses a constant risk of disease transmission.

Dr. Phung Bach Ve, Director of the Dong Kinh Ward Health Station, reported: The ward's health station has intensified monitoring of people's health, promoted the dissemination of measures to prevent and control dangerous infectious diseases. Simultaneously, they have developed disease response scenarios, coordinated extensive public awareness campaigns in each residential area, to raise people's awareness, ensuring they are not complacent but also not panicked in the face of this new disease.

At the same time, the provincial health sector is also focusing on communication efforts, advising people to avoid contact with wild animals, not to consume food of unknown origin, and to proactively monitor their health, especially those who have traveled to, from, or had contact with people from areas with outbreaks.

With proactive disease prevention measures right from the border checkpoints, and close coordination between medical quarantine, the medical examination and treatment system, and grassroots healthcare, we are confident and hopeful that the provincial health sector will establish an important "shield" to protect the health of the people and maintain epidemiological safety in the area.

• People avoid contact with wild animals and do not consume food of unknown origin.
• Actively monitor your health, especially if you have traveled to, come from, or been in contact with people from areas with outbreaks.
• If you experience fever or other unusual symptoms, you should immediately go to a medical facility for advice.
• Strictly comply with health declaration requirements at border checkpoints as instructed by the authorities.
• We should not be complacent, but neither should we panic in the face of information about the epidemic.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/chu-dong-phong-dich-nipah-5075140.html