The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has ordered tighter surveillance and stricter monitoring measures at border gates to proactively detect and prevent the possible entry of Ebola into the city.

On the morning of May 19, the department said it had issued an urgent directive requiring enhanced health monitoring at airports, seaports and other international entry points.

Earlier, on May 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of Bundibugyo strain Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.

Although WHO has not recommended restrictions on international travel or trade due to insufficient scientific evidence and concerns over negative socio-economic impacts, Ho Chi Minh City health authorities stressed that preventive health units must not become complacent.

The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) has been tasked with implementing comprehensive surveillance measures at border gates.

The measures include monitoring inbound travelers for unusual health symptoms, reviewing epidemiological factors and travel histories, coordinating with aviation, maritime and international quarantine authorities, and preparing isolation, treatment and safe transportation procedures for suspected cases.

“Early detection of suspected cases is the key factor in current border surveillance efforts,” the Department of Health emphasized.

Hospitals and medical facilities across the city are also being trained and updated on infection control procedures, the use of personal protective equipment and protocols for handling suspected Ebola cases to ensure readiness if the situation worsens.

The department said it would continue directing HCDC to regularly update recommendations from WHO and Vietnam’s Ministry of Health while continuously assessing risks to implement appropriate response measures and protect public health amid evolving disease developments.

WHO recommendations by country group

WHO has issued different temporary recommendations for different groups of countries.

Countries currently experiencing outbreaks, including Congo and Uganda, are required to activate disaster management mechanisms, establish Emergency Operations Centers and conduct exit screening at border checkpoints.

Countries sharing borders with outbreak zones are advised to raise preparedness levels and respond within 24 hours after detecting suspected cases.

For countries without shared borders, WHO does not recommend closing borders or implementing mass entry screening, saying such measures lack scientific basis and may prove counterproductive.

Instead, WHO recommends focusing on providing disease prevention information to travelers and preparing evacuation and repatriation procedures for citizens or healthcare workers exposed to the virus.

Phuoc Sang