HEALTH ALERT: STRENGTHENING SURVEILLANCE AND PREVENTION OF NIPAH VIRUS DISEASE

Nipah virus is a highly dangerous Group A infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans — mainly through fruit bats, contaminated food, or direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Of even greater concern, the disease can also spread from person to person, especially in healthcare settings if proper infection control measures are not followed.

🦠 Nipah – A dangerous disease with no vaccine

The incubation period ranges from 4 to 14 days. Infected individuals may initially develop symptoms such as:

• Fever, headache, muscle pain
   
• Nausea, vomiting, sore throat
   

The disease can then progress rapidly with neurological complications, including:

• Dizziness, drowsiness
   
• Altered consciousness
   
• Acute encephalitis
   

The mortality rate of Nipah virus disease is estimated to range from 40% to 75% — a very high figure. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for either humans or animals.

🇻🇳 Vietnam proactively responds – Preventing disease entry

In response to potential risks, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam has issued an urgent directive, requesting local authorities and relevant units to implement comprehensive prevention and control measures:

🔹 Strengthen surveillance and early detection

• Closely monitor at border gates, healthcare facilities, and in the community
   
• Rapidly contain and manage cases from the first detection, preventing spread — especially during the Lunar New Year and early 2026 festival season
   

🔹 Ensure hospital safety

• Strictly implement infection prevention and control measures
   
• Provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and contacts
   

🔹 Enhance health system capacity

• Organize professional training for healthcare workers at all levels
   
• Prepare sufficient human resources, supplies, medicines, chemicals, and equipment for emergency response
   

🔹 Strengthen community communication

• Provide accurate information to prevent panic and encourage proactive disease prevention — especially for those returning from outbreak areas

🧪 Role of Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology and hospital systems

The Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology/Pasteur Institutes are required to:

• Closely monitor global disease trends
   
• Guide and support localities in surveillance, testing, and outbreak response
   
• Strengthen rapid response teams, ready to receive and test specimens
   

Hospitals under the Ministry of Health:

• Stand ready to admit and treat suspected or confirmed Nipah cases
   
• Ensure infection control within hospitals
   
• Coordinate testing and provide technical support to localities when needed
   

💙 OneHealth Foundation calls on the community to take action

Disease prevention is not only the responsibility of the health sector but of the entire society. OneHealth Foundation calls on every citizen to:

• Proactively monitor their health
   
• Limit contact with wild animals
   
• Avoid consuming food of unknown origin
   
• Declare health status if experiencing suspicious symptoms or returning from outbreak areas
   

Act today – Protect health tomorrow.
OneHealth Foundation will continue to provide official updates to accompany the community in disease prevention and control efforts.