WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Global Task Force on Cholera Control
CHOLERA COUNTRY PROFILE: VIETNAM
Last update: 25 November 2008
General Country Information:
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is located in the Indochina
peninsula in southeast Asia. It shares borders with China,
Laos and Cambodia with an east coast along the South
China Sea. Viet Nam is divided into 59 provinces (known in
Vietnamese as tỉnh) and 5 centrally-controlled municipalities.
Hanoi is its capital but the largest city is Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam became a French colony in 1951. Between 1959 and
1975, a war was fought between the communist North
Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and South
Vietnam, supported by the United States and others. In 1976,
north and south Vietnam were reunified and the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam was declared.
Even though the number of military and civilian deaths from 1959 to 1975 is debated, the overall casualties were counted
in millions.
In 1986, economic and political reforms began a path towards international reintegration and by 2000, it had established
diplomatic relations with most nations. In the past decade, its economic growth has been among the highest in the world.
Vietnam is currently ranked 105 in the Human development Index.
Cholera Background History:
Very few cases were reported between 1950 and 1954. The arrival of the seventh pandemic in Indonesia in 1961
introduced V. cholerae 01 El Tor in South Vietnam (1964) with an outbreak accounting for 20'186 cases and 872 deaths
(case fatality rate 4.3%). Since then cholera was rarely reported in North Viet Nam until 1976. 1992 was marked by the
emergence of the 0139 serogroup in Southeast Asia. Between 1992 and 1996, an average of 4000 cases were reported
yearly with an average CFR of 1%.
Cholera in 2007:
Between 23 October and 16 November 2007, 1880 cases of acute watery diarrhoea were reported including 240
laboratory confirmed cases. (V. Cholerae O1 Ogawa) in 14 provinces. No death were reported. The affected provinces
were Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, Hanoi, Ha Tay, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Phu Tho, Thai Binh,
Thanh Hoa, Vinh Phuc, Thai Nguyen. The origin of the outbreak, occurring in Ha Noi and its neighbouring provinces,
remained unclear but it could not be linked to a single water source or contaminated food product. The spread of the
disease to 14 provinces was most likely driven by the movement of sick or asymptomatic persons. The risk was higher in
communities with poor sanitation and hygiene practices. The flooding had left rural and slum communities more vulnerable.
Popular tourist areas were affected but no case of tourist infection could be confirmed. Cross border population movement
between Vietnam and its neighbouring countries Thailand, Lao and Cambodia was addressed as an international
transmission risk and measures were taken to their respective MoHs.
Cholera in 2008:
Viet Nam - Officially notified cholera cases
1950 - 2007
25000
100.0
Cases
90.0
Deaths
CFR%
20000
80.0
70.0
15000
60.0
50.0
10000
40.0
30.0
5000
20.0
10.0
0
0.0
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1977
1976
1975
1974
1973
1972
1971
1970
1969
1968
1967
1966
1965
1964
1963
1962
1961
1960
1959
1958
1957
1956
1955
1954
1953
1952
1951
1950
Year
1 of 2
CFR%
Nb of cases and deaths
Between 5 March and 22 April 2008, Vietnam
reported 2490 cases of severe acute watery
diarrhoea (including 377 that were positive for
V. cholerae) in 20 provinces. The majority of
cases were found among Hanoi residents.
The serotype has been identified as 01
Ogawa. No death were reported indicating
good case management. The predominant
route of infection appeared to be consumption
of contaminated food. The bacteria have not
been detected in drinking water in Hanoi or in
other affected areas but have been found in
some surface waters.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Global Task Force on Cholera Control
CHOLERA COUNTRY PROFILE: VIETNAM
Last update: 25 November 2008
Acute diarrhea in Viet nam, 2007
250
2500
216
200
209
196
New case
2000
Cumulation
165 162
146
150
1500
122
100
90
86
70
64
1000
90
71
54
52
50
500
29
9
0
1
0
12
4
9
23
9
8
15
21
8
5
0
23
-
O
24 ct
-O
25 ct
-O
26 ct
-O
27 ct
-O
28 ct
-O
29 ct
-O
30 ct
-O
31 ct
-O
01 ct
-N
02 ov
-N
o
03 v
-N
04 ov
-N
05 ov
-N
06 ov
-N
o
07 v
-N
08 ov
-N
09 ov
-N
10 ov
-N
o
11 v
-N
12 ov
-N
13 ov
-N
14 ov
-N
15 ov
-N
o
16 v
-N
17 ov
-N
18 ov
-N
19 ov
-N
o
20 v
-N
21 ov
-N
ov
0
WHO Support Actions in 2006/2007:
•
•
•
Intensive technical and logistic support provided to the Ministry of Health
Case control study in collaboration with the CDC Atlanta
Provision of 2000 Rapid diagnostic Tests
Demographic and Socio-Economic Data
Geography
Environment
Total surface
Capital
Provinces
Official Language
Climate
Seasons
Floods and droughts
Desertification
Natural resources
Demographics
Population
Religions
Ethnic groups
Economy
Migrants
Industry
Farming
Health
Indicators
Communicable
Diseases
Risk Factors
for Cholera
329 560 km2 (coastline of 3 444km)
Hanoi (population: 3 398 889 in 2007)
59 and 5 municipalities
Vietnamese
Tropical in south, monsoonal in north
Rainy season from May to September, dry season from October to March
Occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the
Mekong River delta
Agricultural practices contribute to deforestation and soil degradation
Phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits,
forests, hydropower
85,262,356 (July 2007)
Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%,
Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8%
Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%,
Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1%
2 357 refugees from Cambodia (2005)
Food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal, steel; cement,
chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, paper
Paddy rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane,
peanuts, bananas; poultry; fish, seafood
184$
Per capita total
expenditure on health
Life expectancy birth (yrs)
Males: 69
Females: 75 (2006)
Child mortality (per 1000)
Males: 17
Females: 16 (2006)
Number of physicians
44'960 (1 MD/1896 hab.)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhoea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vector borne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague are high risks in some
locations
Between 2003 and 2007, 100 cases of H5N1 avian influenza among which 46 have been fatal
HIV prevalence (2005): 0.015%
Population with access to improved water source
98% (urban) 90% rural (2006)
Population with access to proper sanitation facilities
88% (urban) 56% rural (2006)
Chronic Malnutrition
16% (2002-2004)
The Cholera Task Force country profiles are not a formal publication of WHO and do not necessarily represent the decisions
or the stated policy of the Organization. The presentation of maps contained herein does not imply the expression of any
opinion whatsoever on the part of WHO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or areas or its authorities, or
concerning the delineation of its frontiers or boundaries.
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