Sharing a 253km land border with China, Lang Son has two international border gates (Huu Nghi and Dong Dang), two national border gates (Chi Ma and Binh Nghi), and several auxiliary ports of entry, through which thousands of people enter Vietnam every day, posing a high risk of disease transmission. 

Dang Viet Truong, Deputy Director of the province’s Centre for International Health Quarantine, said his centre has ordered relevant agencies to increase personnel and body temperature monitoring equipment at all border gates. 

Medicine and isolation wards have also been prepared in case there are persons detected with symptoms of dangerous diseases such as Zika virus, Mers-CoV virus, and influenza strains A/H7N9 and A/H5N1.

People who enter or exit Vietnam through the gates will also receive advice on disease prevention measures, Truong added. 

Particularly, more efforts are being made to prevent disease transmission through the Huu Nghi International Border Gate, which receives a large number of people, a majority of whom are tourists from other countries who have visited China before entering Vietnam. 

In January, the Ministry of Health requested all provinces and centrally-run cities to intensify prevention and quarantine preparation for Zika virus during the approaching Lunar New Year festival.