Vietnam yesterday reported 15 more cases of influenza A sending health officials scrambling to get more hospitals ready in preparation for a possible national pandemic.

Three other cases were found in the central province of Thua ThienHue city, including an overseas Vietnamese arriving at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport last Thursday and two people having had physical contact with her.

As of 6 p.m. yesterday the country’s total number of flu cases had risen to 78 with 27 having recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

HCMC alone has detected and treated 63 of these patients since it detected the first case on May 31.

Officials at Tan Son Nhat International Airport yesterday found 38 more passengers with high body temperatures and sent them to the Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital for testing.

As the number of infections and suspects for the disease at the airport has increased of late, the city Health Department has requested that the airport authority sterilize foreign airplanes before they land.

On some days six ambulances have been deployed to send suspected passengers from the airport to hospitals.

The city hospitals have been readied to admit 5,000-10,000 H1N1 patients in case of an outbreak.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said a network of 126 hospitals has been established to isolate and treat patients of the flu, with each reserving 30-50 sickbeds for the patients.

In case of a national pandemic, treatment bases will be put up at anytime to admit hundreds of local patients each.

The ministry has also considered closing schools, state offices and public places if and when needed.

Source: TN, VNA