Vietnamese health authorities have been enhancing preventive measures against the possible spread of Coronavirus, a SARS-like virus amid the rising number of incidence worldwide, although the country has not yet recorded any infections, according to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long. The ministry has requested customs authorities to boost quarantines to detect and isolate the suspects timely, particularly those from disease-hits areas, and health sectors to increase surveillance of patients with severe respiratory illness at hospitals. Suspected samples will be sent to the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology or Pasteur Institutes for further testing, Mr. Long said. The health sector is capable of fighting the deadly virus as it has treatment therapy and healthcare workers who know how to identify the infection and cure patients, he added. Coronavirus, similar to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus that spread globally in 2003, has been identified as the cause of an increasing number of infections and deaths in several countries in the Middle East and Europe. It has to date caused 18 deaths out of total 39 infections worldwide. Vietnam, one of the countries hardest hit by SARS with five deaths out of total 68 reported infections since Feb 2003, has not recorded any new cases since April 8, 2003. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi May 17 p1, Dai Bieu Nhan Dan – People’s Deputies May 17 p2)
