CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Monitoring Infectious Diseases

Based on the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases dated November 21, 2007;

Pursuant to the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment dated November 23, 2009;

Based on Decree No. 101/2010/NĐ-CP dated September 30, 2010 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases regarding the application of medical quarantine measures, compulsory medical quarantine, and special disease control measures during outbreaks;

This Circular prescribes procedures for receiving, providing health care for domestic violence victims and statistical reports on domestic violence victims at medical facilities.

At the proposal of the Director of the Preventive Health Department;

The Minister of Health issues this Circular on Guidelines for Monitoring Infectious Diseases,

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular provides guidelines for monitoring infectious diseases including:

1. Objectives, forms, locations, and contents of monitoring infectious diseases.

2. Procedures for monitoring infectious diseases.

3. Procedures for investigating disease outbreaks/epicenters and disease prevention and control activities.

4. Responsibilities in organizing the monitoring of infectious diseases.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Disease outbreak site is a place where confirmed cases of infectious diseases, causative agents, and intermediate transmission factors appear simultaneously within a specific period at the same location.

2. Reservoir is a place where causative agents of infectious diseases can survive and multiply.

Chapter II

OBJECTIVES, FORMS, LOCATIONS AND CONTENTS OF MONITORING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Article 3. Subjects and infectious diseases to be monitored

1. Surveillance targets:

a) Persons infected with infectious diseases, persons suspected of being infected with infectious diseases, and carriers of infectious disease pathogens;

b) Causative agents of infectious diseases;

c) Reservoirs, disease vectors, and risk factors.

2. Infectious diseases to be monitored are specified in Clause 1, Article 3 of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, including some infectious diseases belonging to Group B according to the list of certain infectious diseases belonging to Group B that must be subject to medical quarantine attached to this Circular.

Article 4. Forms and types of monitoring

Monitoring of infectious diseases is a form of continuous, systematic collection of information about the situation and trends of infectious diseases to provide data for planning, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of preventive and control measures against infectious diseases.

1. Forms of monitoring:

a) Active surveillance: through proactive investigations at surveillance points.

b) Passive surveillance: through reports from various levels within the surveillance system.

2. Types of monitoring:

a) Routine surveillance: through monitoring and controlling infectious diseases in a specific area or nationwide.

b) Focused surveillance: through selected surveillance units over a specific period.

c) Community-based surveillance: through community health and veterinary workers' activities and residents' reports.

d) Facility-based surveillance: through reports from healthcare facilities.

đ) Laboratory-based surveillance: through reports from laboratories.

Article 5. Monitoring Locations

Surveillance of infectious diseases is conducted throughout the assigned management scope, particularly in the following locations:

1. Areas currently experiencing outbreaks, areas with past outbreaks, and areas at risk of outbreaks.

2. Healthcare facilities.

3. Quarantine areas for infectious diseases.

4. Places of residence, study, and work of individuals diagnosed with infectious diseases, those suspected of having infectious diseases, or carrying infectious disease pathogens.

5. Border areas.

6. Areas affected by natural disasters or catastrophes.

Article 6. Content of Surveillance

1. Source monitoring of infectious diseases:

a) Infected persons or those suspected of being infected with infectious diseases;

b) Carriers of infectious disease pathogens;

c) Animals infected with or suspected of being infected with infectious diseases;

d) Animals carrying infectious disease pathogens.

2. Monitoring of causative agents of infectious diseases:

a) Bacteria;

b) Viruses;

c) Rickettsia;

d) Parasites.

3. Monitoring of reservoirs, intermediate hosts, and risk factors:

a) Insects, animals, plants;

b) Food;

c) Environment: soil, water, air;

d) Geography, climate, weather;

đ) Economic and social factors: economic conditions, living conditions, behaviors, lifestyles, customs, population structure, ethnic structure;

e) Specimens;

g) Serum.

Chapter III

PROCEDURES FOR MONITORING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Article 7. Steps to conduct surveillance

1. Collecting information.

2. Analyzing data and evaluating results.

3. Assessing the situation of infectious diseases.

4. Proposing intervention measures.

5. Reporting.

Article 8. Information to be collected during surveillance

1. Sources of infectious diseases

a) Infected persons, suspected infected persons, carriers of infectious agents, and persons who died from infectious diseases:

- Name, age, gender, occupation, place of residence;

- Location and time of infection;

- Disease progression, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment process;

- Medical history and epidemiological factors related.

b) Information about insects, animals, plants, objects suspected to be sources of transmission: pathogen species, biological characteristics, density, and relationship with humans.

2. Identifying the causative agent of infectious diseases: strain, group, type, sub-type, biological characteristics regarding drug resistance, morphological and genetic changes.

3. Modes of transmission: respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin contact, mucous membrane, blood, vector-borne.

4. Reservoirs, vectors, and risk factors.

a) Insects, animals, plants, carriers of pathogens. For disease-causing insects, it is necessary to determine: quantity, density, species composition, monitoring indices, sensitivity to chemicals;

b) Food: raw materials, processing methods, storage conditions;

c) Environment: soil, water, air;

d) Geography, climate, weather: geographical region, season, temperature, rainfall, humidity;

đ) Economic and social conditions: standard of living, lifestyle, living conditions, customs, demographic structure, ethnic structure;

e) Specimens;

g) Serum.

5. Infectious disease control activities

a) Measures for controlling infectious diseases;

b) Effectiveness of implemented measures;

c) Difficulties and advantages.

Chapter IV

INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE FOR DISEASE OUTBREAKS AND EPIDEMIC CONTROL ACTIVITIES

Article 9. Steps to conduct investigation of disease outbreaks/epidemic foci

1. Preparing for the investigation of disease outbreaks/epidemic foci.

2. Determining the existence of a disease outbreak/epidemic focus.

3. Establishing diagnostic criteria for the first infected person and suspected cases.

4. Describing the course of the disease outbreak/epidemic focus over time, location, and individuals.

5. Investigating demographic and socio-economic characteristics to identify susceptible groups or risk groups for the identified disease outbreak/epidemic focus.

6. Investigating factors related to the disease outbreak/epidemic focus as specified in Clauses 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Article 8 of this Circular.

7. Synthesizing, analyzing, evaluating, and making a definitive diagnosis of the disease outbreak/epidemic focus, identifying the source of transmission, mode of transmission, and risk groups.

8. Assessing and forecasting the epidemic situation.

9. Proposing preventive and control measures.

10. Reporting the results of the disease outbreak/epidemic focus investigation.

Article 10. Collection, preservation, packaging, transportation, storage, use, research, exchange, and disposal of specimen samples

1. The collection, preservation, packaging, transportation, storage, use, research, exchange, and disposal of specimen samples shall be carried out in accordance with Circular No. 43/2011/TT-BYT dated December 5, 2011, issued by the Minister of Health on the management system for infectious disease specimen samples.

2. In cases where healthcare facilities are unable to perform tests to identify causative agents, they should contact higher-level healthcare facilities to send specimen samples and receive guidance on sample collection, preservation, and transportation.

Article 11: Epidemic Control Activities

1. Preparation:

a) Human resources;

b) Budget for investigation and epidemic control activities;

c) Medicines, chemicals, biological products, equipment for epidemic control, emergency equipment, and other medical supplies;

d) Proposals for disease prevention and control support (if necessary): determine the support line, basis, method, time, and content of support from higher levels and inter-sectoral collaboration.

2. Implementing disease prevention and control activities

Disease control activities depend on each specific disease or syndrome based on the results of disease investigation, including the following measures:

a) Handling the source of infection:

- Isolating, treating, and managing infected cases;

- Medical quarantine;

- Treating asymptomatic carriers of infectious diseases;

- Disposing of human, animal, and other infectious waste.

b) Handling transmission routes:

- Implementing measures to prevent and control intermediate disease vectors;

- Environmental sanitation and disinfection of contaminated areas.

c) Protecting healthy individuals:

- Personal hygiene and protective equipment;

- Ensuring food safety;

- Conducting vaccination campaigns;

- Providing health education and information dissemination.

Article 12. Information and Reporting

Implemented according to Circular No. 48/2010/TT-BYT dated December 31, 2010, issued by the Minister of Health, guiding the declaration, information, and reporting system for infectious diseases.

Chapter V

RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE ORGANIZATION OF DISEASE SURVEILLANCE

Article 13. Responsibilities of Preventive Medicine Department

1. Advising the Minister of Health on state management functions in building, coordinating, and directing all specialized technical activities of national infectious disease surveillance.

2. Directing preventive healthcare facilities, provincial health departments, and provincial-level preventive healthcare units to implement infectious disease surveillance activities.

3. Organizing inspections, supervision, and urging the implementation of specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance.

4. Reporting to the Minister of Health weekly, monthly, annually, or urgently on the situation of infectious diseases both domestically and internationally.

Article 14. Responsibilities of Medical Examination and Treatment Management Department

1. Guiding and directing healthcare facilities nationwide to designate specialized units responsible for infectious disease surveillance and infection prevention according to their scope of professional activities to carry out specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance and the declaration, information, and reporting system for infectious diseases as stipulated in Circular No. 48/2010/TT-BYT dated December 31, 2010, issued by the Minister of Health.

2. Organizing inspections, supervision, and urging healthcare facilities to implement specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance.

Article 15. Responsibilities of thepreventive healthcare institutes Re 1. Directing, supervising, evaluating, and organizing inspections of specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance at units under their jurisdiction in assigned regions and fields.

2. Collecting, analyzing, evaluating, storing surveillance data, and implementing information and reporting activities on infectious disease prevention and control in assigned regions and fields.

3. Coordinating and sharing infectious disease surveillance information among preventive healthcare facilities.

1. Directing and guiding healthcare units under their jurisdiction to implement specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance.

Article 16. Responsibilities of Department of Health

2. Organizing inspections, supervision, and urging the implementation of specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance.

Responsibilities of subordinate units of the Provincial Health Department

Article 17. Responsibilities of the1. The provincial preventive healthcare center is responsible for organizing the implementation of infectious disease surveillance within its jurisdiction. Directing, guiding, and supervising lower-level units to implement specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance.

2. The International Health Quarantine Center is responsible for organizing the implementation of specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance at national and international border crossings within its jurisdiction.

3. Other centers under the preventive healthcare system are responsible for implementing specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance within their jurisdiction according to their assigned functions and tasks.

4. County-level healthcare centers implement infectious disease surveillance activities within their jurisdiction.

5. Commune Health Stations conduct infectious disease surveillance within their jurisdiction.

Responsibilities of healthcare facilities

Article 18. Responsibilities of the1. Designating specialized units responsible for infectious disease surveillance and infection prevention at healthcare facilities.

2. Implementing specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance.

3. Closely collaborating with preventive healthcare units in investigating and reporting patient information, collecting samples, and sharing sample specimens or pathogen strains for diagnostic purposes.

Responsibilities of health sectors and ministries

Article 19. 1. Directing and guiding subordinate units to implement specialized technical activities for infectious disease surveillance.

This circular takes effect from June 15, 2013.

Responsibilities of subordinate units of the Provincial Health Department

Chapter VI

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 20Cross-reference provision

In case the referenced documents in this document are replaced or amended, they shall be implemented according to the replacement document or the amended document.

Article 21. Effective date

During implementation, if there are any difficulties, please promptly report them to the Ministry of Health (Preventive Medicine Department) for consideration and resolution.

LIST OF SOME INFECTION DISEASES REQUIRING MEDICAL QUARANTINE UNDER GROUP B

ANNEX

(Annexed to Circular No. 13/2013/TT-BYT dated April 17, 2013, guiding infectious disease surveillance)
Including infectious diseases under Group B that have rapid transmission potential and can cause death.

4. Anthrax.

1. Diphtheria.

2. Whooping cough.

3. Measles.

5. Meningococcal meningitis.

6. Hand-foot-mouth disease.

6. Hand, foot, and mouth disease