In a dispatch dated May 14, the PM stressed the need to raise public awareness of the symptoms of the disease and avenues of infection for both the influenza A/H5N1 and acute diarrhoea epidemics, as well as encouraging the people to protect themselves, their families and the community from infection.

According to the dispatch, the Ministry of Health will increase its monitoring network to operate round the clock, especially at border gates, to detect, quarantine and treat any cases of infection in a timely manner. At the same time, it will prepare medical equipment, medicines and chemical disinfectant to be distributed to grassroots-level hospitals and medical centres as soon as any cases are reported.

Chairmen of the provincial People’s Committees will mobilise relevant agencies to monitor the enforcement of food hygiene and safety regulations, especially at restaurants, markets, food processing factories and slaughter houses, as well as the transport and consumption of dog meat and other cattle and poultry products. They will also oversee the quality of water resources, especially those from drilled wells, ponds and lakes to prevent the spread of Vibrio cholerae bacteria.

According to the Ministry of Health, so far this year, the first cases of acute diarrhoea have been confirmed in Hanoi, Hai Phong City and Bac Ninh, Nam Dinh and Thanh Hoa provinces. Vibrio Cholerae bacteria has been found in uncooked dog meat at several dog slaughter houses and in other uncooked food samples. The ministry has warned that the acute diarrhoea epidemic is likely to spread on a large scale this year.