Starting 1 July, all travelers entering, exiting, or transiting through Vietnam must submit a health declaration form and undergo mandatory temperature screening at every border checkpoint, a direct response to the growing global threat of Ebola virus disease (EVD).
The move comes as the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May, its highest level of global health alert. Ebola carries an average fatality rate of around 50 percent and spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recorded nearly 1,000 cases and over 200 deaths as of 28 May, with Uganda also among the heavily affected nations.
Under Vietnam’s new measures, travelers must submit their health declaration either online up to seven days before travel or by completing a physical form at the border. Authorities will conduct temperature checks on all arrivals, and anyone displaying suspicious symptoms will face further inspection, including travel history review, a process that may take approximately two hours.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Health may also request proof of vaccination or other disease prevention documentation where necessary.
The measures apply to Hantavirus prevention as well.
Southeast Asia Responds
Thailand designated the DRC and Uganda as dangerous zones on 20 May, mandating a 21-day quarantine for all arrivals from those countries.
Singapore enhanced border surveillance on 19 May, alerting doctors to watch for Ebola-compatible symptoms in recent travelers from affected regions.
Malaysia strengthened national preparedness citing imported case risks, while Indonesia deployed Rapid Response Teams at international entry points and enforced strict isolation and contact tracing protocols.
Laos, meanwhile, has not yet introduced any formal Ebola prevention measures, with no local outbreaks or travel restrictions currently in place.
