Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper about Marburg disease, Dr. Truong Huu Khanh - Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Infectious Diseases Association, said that people should not be too worried or panic about this disease. At the same time, they should be careful when traveling to Africa.
Information from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that the risk of Marburg disease entering Ho Chi Minh City is not high, but it is still possible. The information was given in the context of many cases of Marburg virus disease occurring in Africa.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the risk of the disease entering the city by air is quite low as there are no direct flights and incoming passengers are screened before departure.
The possibility of maritime entry is very low, Rwanda has only one seaport. According to data on vessel arrivals from January 2023 to September 30, 2024, no vessels arrived directly from this seaport.
In addition, the shipping time from Africa to Ho Chi Minh City by sea usually lasts from 25-40 days, longer than the longest incubation period of Marburg (21 days).
WHO has assessed the risk of this outbreak as low at the global level, but some countries such as South Korea, China, and the United States have strengthened medical measures at border gates to control the disease from entering.
In Vietnam, the Department of Preventive Medicine - Ministry of Health has also issued a document directing the implementation of disease control measures at border gates.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health directed the City Disease Control Center to strictly implement this, especially monitoring passengers from flights related to Rwanda.
The city's health sector has also proactively implemented measures such as increasing information updates on Marburg disease as well as other emerging infectious diseases in the world; strengthening surveillance of people entering the country from epidemic areas; being ready to intervene if an imported case is detected; and communicating to raise awareness about risk factors for Marburg virus infection and personal protective measures to reduce human transmission.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health recommends that people limit unnecessary travel to countries with outbreaks.
For those who have traveled to countries with epidemics, if they detect suspicious symptoms, they should immediately go to a medical facility for examination and provide medical staff with full information for timely diagnosis and treatment as well as to limit infection.
People should refer to information about epidemics posted on official sources, avoiding unverified information that causes panic and anxiety.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) update, as of October 10, 2024, a total of 58 cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD), including 13 deaths, have been reported in Rwanda. A case fatality rate of 22% has been reported.
Since the outbreak was announced on September 27 and as of October 10, 15 cases have been confirmed to have recovered, while the remaining 30 cases are being cared for at the Marburg treatment center.
