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An official from the health ministry reviews the quarantine protocol for suspect international arrivals at Hanoi's Noi Bai international airport (Photo: VNA)

The dispatch asked hospitals and clinics nationwide to set up measures for early detection and prevention to the disease, caused by novel coronavirus (nCoV).

According to the dispatch, all hospitals must set up rapid reaction teams to confront the high risk of the disease spreading.

Vietnam was at high risk of transmitting the disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus from China, said Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the MoH’s Medical Examination and Treatment Department.

To cope with the disease, classification of patients would be implemented at the registration desks and patients with symptoms of an acute respiratory infection such as cough and fever must be isolated and examined in separate sections in hospitals or clinics.

Those who were in China within the last 14 days must be checked in terms of epidemiological factors.

If acute pneumonia is suspected, hospitals must temporarily isolate the patient and notify preventive health agencies to take samples.

Health workers must follow disease precaution standards such as wearing masks and regularly washing hands when examining patients with symptoms of acute respiratory infection.

Hospitals and clinics must prepare isolation areas and resuscitation medications as well as check medical equipment such as breathing machines, patient monitoring machines, personal protective equipment, and disinfectant chemicals.

Healthcare entities were told to strictly follow the instructions of diagnosis and treatment for the nCoV-pneumonia by the MoH issued on January 16.

They were also urged to spread awareness among healthcare workers and citizens to detect and control the disease as well as to encourage people to report their travel history in countries affected by the disease.

So far, China has reported over 440 people infected with the disease, which killed 17 people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed that the new coronavirus could be contagious between humans.

The new strain of coronavirus, first discovered in China’s Wuhan City, has caused comparisons to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that killed nearly 650 people in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003./.