Hanoi sets up five fast response teams to combat Ebola

These fast response teams will deal with potential emergency cases in case the Ebola virus penetrates the city, the Hanoi Health Department’s Preventive Health Center said at a recent meeting to review measures to combat the virus.

The health department has trained these teams in biological safety and equipped them with necessary protective equipment.

The health department has also prepared 20 tons of Chloramine B, 80 chemical sprayers, 800 sets of protective outfits, 7,000 N-95 medical masks, 34,300 three-layer masks, gloves, rubber boots, and other medical supplies necessary for the fight against the virus.

Under the Hanoi City People’s Committee’s directives on strengthening efforts to confront the epidemic, the health department has organized training for detection, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) for all health workers at local hospitals assigned to treat the illness.

The Hanoi Preventive Health Center is coordinating with the local International Health Quarantine Center (IHQC) to monitor visitors arriving in Vietnam at Noi Bai International Airport from the Ebola-hit countries, mainly those in West Africa.

As of July this year, the IHQC has monitored 35 people arriving in Hanoi from the Ebola-stricken countries and has yet to detect any infection. EVD is highly dangerous and is able to kill up to 90 percent of infected people.

Dr. Hoang Duc Hanh, deputy director of the health department, praised the efforts of all local concerned agencies in preparing to cope with EVD, which could penetrate Vietnam through people coming from Ebola-hit countries.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 4,877 people have died in the world's worst recorded outbreak of Ebola, mainly in West Africa, and at least 9,936 cases of the disease had been recorded as of October 19, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

Liberia has been worst hit, with 4,665 recorded cases and 2,705 deaths, followed by Sierra Leone with 3,706 cases and 1,259 deaths. Guinea, where the outbreak originated, has had 1,540 cases and 904 deaths.

However, the WHO has said the real number of cases is believed to be much higher than reported; by a factor of 1.5 in Guinea, 2 in Sierra Leone and 2.5 in Liberia, while the death rate is thought to be about 70 percent of all cases.

That would suggest a toll of almost 15,000, the WHO said.

Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids and tissues of infected animals or people.

As a severe acute viral illness, EVD is often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, according to the WHO.