Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa sets up rapid response teams over Ebola concerns

Le Van Khoa, director of the provincial Health Department, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday that local health authorities had deployed a range of disease prevention measures, including stricter infection control, screening, classification, and isolation procedures for suspected or confirmed Ebola cases.

Given Khanh Hoa’s role as a major tourist destination welcoming millions of international visitors each year, officials had already drafted contingency plans earlier this year to avoid being caught off guard.

The Khanh Hoa Center for Disease Control and the Khanh Hoa International Health Quarantine Center have been tasked with reinforcing border health checks.

They are working closely with aviation, maritime, port authorities, and border police to detect passengers showing symptoms or arriving from affected regions.

Le Van Tung, director of the International Health Quarantine Center, said rapid response teams have been deployed at airports and seaports.

“We update information from the World Health Organization every hour to react promptly and conduct scenario-based training to stay prepared,” Tung added.

Earlier the same day, the health ministry’s Department of Medical Service Administration issued an urgent directive requiring hospitals and provincial health departments nationwide to strengthen preparedness against Ebola amid concerns over possible international spread.

Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness in humans, typically characterized by hemorrhagic symptoms and multi-organ failure, with a case fatality rate that can reach up to 90 percent, according to the department.

The agency urged healthcare facilities to pay special attention to individuals who have recently traveled to countries with outbreaks within the past 21 days.