Ho Chi Minh City at low Nipah risk: health authorities

At the city’s regular economic and social press briefing, Le Hong Nga, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control under the municipal Department of Health, said no Nipah virus disease cases have been detected nationwide.

Advanced studies jointly conducted by the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City and the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit found no evidence of the Nipah virus among encephalitis patients in the city and several southern provinces.

The research employed modern diagnostic methods, including metagenomics, polymerase chain reaction, and mass spectrometry.

Internationally, two confirmed Nipah infections were recently reported and investigated in India’s West Bengal State, with all identified contacts testing negative, she said.

Although the risk of a Nipah outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City is currently assessed as low, Nga cautioned that imported cases cannot be ruled out as cross-border exchanges and international travel continue to rise.

According to the Ministry of Health, Nipah virus disease is classified as a particularly dangerous Group A infectious disease, with a fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 percent.

There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment available.

The virus is primarily transmitted from animals to humans through direct contact with infected animals or the consumption of food and products contaminated with the virus.

Human-to-human transmission can also occur through close contact with bodily fluids or secretions from infected patients.

The incubation period typically ranges from four to 14 days.

Early symptoms include headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat, and may progress to neurological manifestations such as dizziness, drowsiness, and altered consciousness.

In severe cases, the disease can lead to acute encephalitis and death.

Border screening tightened, hospital placed on standby

To prevent the virus from entering and spreading in the community, the city’s health department has rolled out coordinated preventive measures.

Health surveillance has been stepped up at border checkpoints and within the community, particularly at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, with a focus on passengers arriving from areas considered at risk.

Suspected cases presenting with fever, respiratory symptoms or unusual neurological signs will be closely monitored and referred to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Only symptomatic travelers from affected countries or regions will be invited for medical examination, epidemiological investigation, and testing, both to ensure timely care and to assess the risk of community transmission.

The hospital has been placed on standby to receive and isolate suspected patients, while training in diagnosis, treatment, and infection control is being rolled out across healthcare facilities citywide.

Medical institutions have also been instructed to strictly comply with personal protective measures for healthcare workers, and cases of acute encephalitis of unknown origin are required to be promptly reported to and consulted with the hospital.

Health authorities said they will continue close monitoring at entry points and within the community, alongside public advisories encouraging residents to actively participate in disease prevention.

People returning from affected areas are advised to monitor their health for at least 14 days after entry and to seek medical attention immediately if they develop suspicious symptoms.

Residents are urged to avoid contact with fruit bats, pigs, and animals showing signs of illness, and to refrain from consuming food or beverages that may be contaminated with bat droppings, such as fallen fruit or uncovered freshly squeezed fruit juice.

Maintaining good personal hygiene, including frequent handwashing with soap, is strongly encouraged.

Anyone experiencing fever, headache, cough, shortness of breath or altered consciousness after travel from areas considered at risk for Nipah should seek prompt medical attention and clearly inform healthcare providers of their travel history.

According to the World Health Organization, the Nipah virus was first identified in 1999 in Malaysia during an outbreak linked to pig farming.