Viet Nam the first country to contain SARS?

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From www.who.int:

 

Viet Nam may soon become the first country to contain SARS

No new cases of SARS have been detected in Viet Nam for 17 days in a row, despite a high level of awareness and good surveillance. Although numerous rumours have been reported, all have been investigated by WHO and government officials, and all suspect cases have been determined to have other causes.

 

The most recent probable case was detected on 8 April, bringing the cumulative total in Viet Nam to 63 cases. Detection of that case initially brought disappointment, as it occurred after no new cases had been reported over an 8-day period. Since the outbreak was first recognized in Hanoi in late February, 5 deaths have occurred. As of today, five patients remain hospitalized.

 

Viet Nam was the second country to experience a SARS outbreak. The first was China, where an outbreak began in Guangdong Province in mid-November of last year.

 

If no new cases are detected by 30 April (a date which marks the end of two incubation periods), Viet Nam could become the first country to be taken off the list of SARS-affected countries. This achievement would also make Viet Nam the first country to successfully contain its SARS outbreak.

 

SARS was first identified by Dr Carlo Urbani, a WHO infectious disease specialist. Dr Urbani alerted the world to SARS when cases of an unusual and severe respiratory disease began appearing among health staff treating a Chinese-American businessman at the French Hospital in Hanoi. The patient, a 48-year-old resident of Hong Kong, was admitted to hospital on 26 February with fever and respiratory symptoms. His recent travel history included trips to Guangdong Province, Shanghai, and Macao SAR. By 20 March, at least 22 staff at the Hanoi hospital were ill with influenza-like symptoms. Twenty had signs of pneumonia, and two were in serious condition.

 

The Chinese-American businessman died of SARS in Hong Kong on 13 March. Dr Urbani died of SARS in Thailand on 29 March.

 

WHO country staff attribute Viet Nam?s success in combating SARS to the quick manner in which the country initially reacted. ?After Carlo identified the disease, we were able to influence the hospital to take the right infection control measures very quickly,? said Pascale Brudon, the WHO representative in Viet Nam.

 

The commitment of the Vietnamese government came soon thereafter, including high-level support for a WHO coordinated response in Hanoi. ?The first priority was to contain the disease and monitor each case,? said Brudon. International collaboration to combat SARS came quickly via the Japanese government and Médecins Sans Frontières, who both worked under the umbrella of the WHO initiative in Viet Nam.

 

Viet Nam was fortunate in that the country had only a single index case, who spent less than 3 days in Hanoi prior to hospitalization. This short time in the community effectively limited opportunities to transmit the SARS virus to a contained hospital environment.

 

Viet Nam?s northern Quang Ninh province recently began barring Chinese tourists at its overland border with China in an effort to prevent importation of SARS. This move comes ahead of any decision by the Vietnamese national government to seal its border with China indefinitely, as has been recommended by the country?s ministry of health.

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Its interesting to note that they consider sealing the border to China. Viet Nam is very dependent on China for trade, and it would have a huge impact.

 

[chilli13]

I believe toronto wish to be the next to be taken off the list. doing ok at present I suppose not having had new cases for weeks...

lets pray china will be off the list too eventually

[Torneyboy]

Maybe a light at the end of the tunnel??

 

Hope so.

 

Yes they need China but not SARS