VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Health has issued a fresh swine-flu alert after new cases were detected in Hanoi and HCM City last week.

In HCM City, two women in District 8 and a 24-year-old woman who returned from Malaysia have been infected with swine flu.

A 24-year-old pregnant woman tested positive for the A/H1N1 virus after being admitted to the Hanoi-based Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases last week with fever and cough. She is now in a stable condition, doctors said, adding that her relatives are being closely monitored for signs of infection.

Dr. Nguyen Van Binh, Director of the Preventative Health Agency, warned people to be aware of flu-like symptoms. Moreover, the world authorities have reported that a re-occurrence of swine flu is about to happen,similar to the one that has killed over 100 people in the United Kingdom recently.

Binh said that in Vietnam there has been an increase of swine flu cases, with three recorded this month. The percentage of H1N1 infection cases now accounts for 10 percent of all flu infections. However, all cases have been very slight and no new cases of the virus have been reported recently.

He said the Ministry of Health should order medical clinics to scrutinize cases of infection more closely in a bid to stop the virus from spreading. People should keep warm and protect themselves by maintaining good personal hygiene.

Experts also warned people not to transport or sell diseased poultry. In addition, pig bacteria is still a threat as a man from the Northern Province of Hai Duong was sent to hospital, infected with the swine flu streptococcus. Because of the bacteria, his internal organs have failed and doctors had to amputate his legs because of the gangrene.

Pigs are considered the principal host of the bacteria and transmission to humans occurs mostly by direct contact from infected pigs or contaminated pork products.  People should cook pork products extremely thoroughly in order to prevent swine streptococcus from spreading, warned Doctor Ha.

Last year, eight out of 183 people who contracted swine flu in Vietnam died. It took the number of fatalities, since the disease claimed its first victim in May 2009, to 61, and infections to 11,305.

PV