Ready to respond to the risk of Chikungunya epidemic invasion

As an international trade gateway and a tourist city, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors each week, Da Nang is a locality with a high risk of disease intrusion, so strict control should be strengthened early and from afar.

Medical quarantine forces strengthen disease surveillance at the Da Nang International Airport border gate. Photo: LE HUNG

Tighten epidemic prevention at border gates

In order to proactively prevent epidemics, especially the risk of Chikungunya entering, the leader of the Department of Health said that he has requested the City Center for Disease Control and hospitals to strengthen surveillance at border gates, medical facilities and the community.

When a suspected case is detected, samples should be taken for testing to promptly confirm the diagnosis.

Along with that, it is necessary to review and prepare adequate human resources, materials, chemicals, equipment, and have mobile teams ready to respond quickly to investigate and thoroughly handle the outbreak as soon as the first case is detected.

According to the City Center for Disease Control, currently, at border gates, medical quarantine forces are on duty 24/7.

The remote body temperature measuring system combines direct monitoring and health observation to help detect early signs of passengers with suspicious symptoms such as fever, rash or joint pain.

These cases will be epidemiologically investigated, temporarily isolated and transferred to medical facilities for timely diagnosis and treatment.

In parallel with passenger monitoring, strict inspection and supervision of international means of transport have also been strengthened, especially those departing from or transiting from areas with epidemics or areas at risk of disease vectors.

Doctor Nguyen Dai Vinh, Director of the City Center for Disease Control, said that on average, each week at the Da Nang International Airport and Da Nang Seaport border gates, there are more than 850 vehicles entering and exiting the country, with about 150,000 passengers coming from many countries, including places where Chikungunya cases are being recorded, such as: South Korea, Hong Kong (China), Macau (China), Thailand, Singapore...

Therefore, the unit has increased quarantine activities at the border gate to detect early when cases enter the city.

At the same time, coordinate with agencies and units operating at border gate areas, propose to strengthen measures to prevent and control Chikungunya disease.

Accordingly, maintain environmental hygiene, handle mosquito breeding sites, closely coordinate in monitoring, detecting and promptly handling suspected cases of disease.

Closely monitor suspected symptomatic cases.

The Department of Health also recommends that medical facilities proactively and closely monitor cases with suspected symptoms (fever, joint pain, headache, fatigue and rash), especially those with a history of traveling from epidemic areas within 12 days.

Facilities update diagnostic and treatment guidelines; prepare human resources, drugs, supplies, biological products, and treatment areas to properly organize patient examination and treatment; strictly implement measures to prevent cross-infection in medical examination and treatment facilities...

According to the leaders of Da Nang Hospital, the unit has prepared a plan to ensure medical work in all possible epidemic situations as well as proactively ensure the supply of medicines, supplies, machinery, chemicals, etc. to serve the examination and treatment of local people and ensure infection control and prevention of cross-infection at medical examination and treatment facilities according to regulations.

It is known that Son Tra Regional Medical Center has been proactively coordinating with local forces to conduct weekly surveys of dengue fever vector indices as a basis for risk zoning to guide the health station to advise the Ward People's Committee to effectively implement the work of eliminating mosquito larvae, etc.

The leader of Hoa Vang Commune Health Station added that, in addition to strengthening propaganda and disease prevention, especially dengue fever and Chikungunya, the station also promotes the role of population and public health collaborators in disease surveillance in the community, mobilizing people to kill mosquito larvae, clean the environment, and maintain personal hygiene.

To effectively prevent and control epidemics, each person needs to raise awareness of health protection, proactively kill mosquitoes and larvae, maintain environmental hygiene and follow recommendations from the health sector.

Community cooperation will be a strong "shield", contributing to protecting the city from the danger of disease invasion and outbreak.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/san-sang-ung-pho-truoc-nguy-co-dich-chikungunya-xam-nhap-3299826.html