At a regular press briefing in Hanoi on January 29, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said Vietnam has so far recorded no Nipah infections, but authorities are maintaining heightened vigilance amid regional concerns.

She said Vietnamese agencies are coordinating with local authorities to step up disease surveillance and prevention at border gates, healthcare facilities and in communities, while ensuring readiness to implement response measures if needed.

“Vietnam will continue to closely monitor developments and cooperate with the World Health Organisation and other countries to promptly deploy appropriate and effective prevention and control measures,” said the spokesperson.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus first identified during an outbreak in Malaysia in the 1990s. It is transmitted from animals to humans, mainly through fruit bats and pigs, and can also spread via direct contact with infected animals or people. There is currently no vaccine for the disease.

The virus can cause severe symptoms such as high fever, vomiting and seizures. According to the WHO, the fatality rate ranges from 40% to 75%.

India has recently confirmed two Nipah cases. Although no cases have been reported outside India, several Asian countries have moved to introduce or tighten airport screening and other precautionary measures to reduce the risk of cross-border transmission.

Nipah virus surveillance tightened at border gates

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has issued an urgent request to strengthen surveillance and prevention measures against the Nipah virus at border gates, healthcare facilities and in the community, amid developments related to the disease in India.