Speaking at a conference in Hanoi on July 15, Head of the Health Ministry’s Preventive Medicine and Environment Department Nguyen Huy Nga said that out of the newly-confirmed cases, nine were in the southern region and two in northern provinces. 

Among the infected patients, 266 have fully recovered and been discharged from hospital while 54 others, including the latest cases, have been isolated and are undergoing treatment, Nga said, adding that they are in stable condition, and showing no serious symptoms. 

He also stated that in the future, Vietnam should bring in measures to monitor border gates to identify possible cases of A/H1N1 and promptly isolate patients, helping to prevent the spread of the virus throughout the community. 

At another conference in Ho Chi Minh City on the same day, Nguyen Dac Tho, Deputy Director of the municipal Preventive Medicine Centre, said that Ho Chi Minh City is closely supervising 121 flights that have already brought A/H1N1 cases into the country. 

According the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)’s latest report, by July 13, the A/H1N1 influenza has affected nearly 117,000 people in 135 countries and territories, 580 whom have died. 

In Southeast Asia, Thailand has reported the highest number, of cases of A/H1N1, 4,057 with 24 fatalities, followed by the Philippines, with 1,709 infected and two deaths.