Two conditions for epidemic announcement

According to the PM’s new Decision 64/2010/QĐ-TTg, there are two criteria for announcing the outbreak and end of any epidemic.

Firstly, the number of infected patients excesses the normal estimate made by provincial-level health care agencies.

Secondly, there appears one of the following conditions:

- diseases are spread at a large scale and out of control of provincial-level health care agencies;

- the Health Minister acknowledges changes in disease agents, the risk of high fatality and no measure to effectively constrain the diseases;

- high-fatality diseases with no clear agent nor measure to effectively rein in;

- diseases accompanying natural disasters and calamities.  

Under the Decision, the announcement of the termination of any epidemic will be made if no new case is detected in a certain period of time in line with the Government’s regulations and necessary measures are taken to prevent the outbreak./.

By Kim Anh