The long flight from LAX to Guangzhou, China was over. Now it was only another hour until landing at Tang Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.
Dr. Roberta Hughes of the CDC was going to Vietnam to investigate a viral outbreak in the western part of southern Vietnam. The virus seemed highly contagious but not life-threatening. Out of the hundreds of cases Vietnam health authorities were monitoring, only one person had died.
That was different from the virus outbreak that her colleague Dr. Williams had investigated in South Sudan the month before. There the virus was highly virulent but not so contagious. Unfortunately, he had lost his samples trying to leave the country during a tribal uprising and apparently the virus had run its course, so the CDC had not been able to make a definitive classification except for what Dr. Williams' Annie had analyzed.
Dr. Hughes drifted off to sleep and was awakened by one of the flight attendants upon landing. The entire trip had taken nearly thirty hours including layovers.
In the modern terminal, Dr. Hughes saw someone holding up a sign with her name on it. The person turned out to be Dr. Cam Nguyen.
“Hello, I'm Roberta Hughes.”
“Hello, I am Cam Nguyen. I work with the Health Ministry and will be your guide during your stay in Vietnam. I hope you had a pleasant flight?”
“Yes, too long, but overall, not a bad flight.”
“Good, let us get you through immigration and then pick up your luggage downstairs.”
With the help of Cam, it didn't take long to be processed through immigration. Dr. Hughes had her passport and visa in order. Baggage claim was typical of any large airport, harried but workable.
Dr. Hughes had nothing to declare in customs, and she and Cam passed on through and out of the terminal. Dr. Nguyen looked to her left and waved, a small SUV started toward them. The driver loaded Dr. Hughes's luggage, and they were on their way to the hotel that Cam had booked for Dr. Hughes. Coming out of the terminal it was only a short drive-up Bach Dang to the Palm Hotel.
It was late afternoon and Dr. Hughes remarked how busy the streets were, with cars and SUVs and the ubiquitous motorbikes passing on the right.
“Yes,” said Dr. Nguyen. “And this is as light as the traffic gets today, I'm afraid.”
After making sure Roberta was checked into her room Dr. Nguyen said good night and that they would start for Chau Doc early in the morning.
Roberta ate some dinner in her room and studied the reports Cam had given her. Chau Doc was a fishing village on the Hau River in An Giang province, close to the Cambodia border. It seemed to be the epicenter of the breakout. Three-hundred and fifty-three people had been infected so far with still only one death. The CDC had been called in at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO) which the Vietnamese had appealed to. So technically Roberta was there representing WHO and not the CDC, but she really didn't care for the fine politics. She was just intent on getting samples and field intelligence and getting back to the CDC for analysis. She put the reports back in her bag and went to bed.
Early the next morning Roberta and Cam were on the road with their driver Huynh Hoang. Roberta noticed the driver was completely quiet though apparently competent.
“The traffic is incredible,” remarked Dr. Hughes. “Is it always this bad?”
“This is typical for a morning rush hour,” said Dr. Nguyen. “We should make better time once we clear Ho Chi Minh outskirts. It shouldn't take more than four or five hours to drive to Chau Doc.”
“I have to say that Ho Chi Minh City is quite modern and beautiful. I really didn't know what to expect but thought it would be much older. What will Chau Doc be like?”
“Yes, Ho Chi Minh has changed much in the last couple of decades. Very much development and very much population increase. Much of the old city has been redeveloped except the outskirts. Now Chau Doc is a much smaller city. It has only a population of about one-hundred fifty thousand. The Hau River flows through town to the Mekong. The floating city, houseboats as you would say, is quite famous. It is also excellent for fish and sauces. We will try them tonight?”
“Sounds good,” said Roberta.
Roberta and Cam talked most of the way to Chau Doc, discussing their professional careers and educational experiences and the current viral outbreak. As they talked Roberta noticed the changing scenery. From city to town to more rural. She noticed the houses became fewer but still were located close to the road with fields stretching out far behind. She also noticed that while the roads ran very straight, they had to turn many times to apparently make their way to the few bridges that crossed the many watercourses between Ho Chi Minh City and Chau Doc.
It was eleven-thirty in the morning when the SUV pulled into the Victoria Chau Doc Hotel. After lunch at the hotel, the driver dropped off Roberta and Cam at the Binh An Hospital where they went on rounds with the hospital's Medical Director. Roberta took notes and made pictures with her Annie. Blood samples were provided by the hospital personnel in a small sample satchel. Roberta did not bother to analyze these with her Annie as she could do a much more thorough job at the CDC in a couple of days. It was late in the day when they arrived back at the Victoria.
“We will go to dinner in thirty minutes; I will take you to the floating cafe?” asked Cam.
“Yes, I'll meet you in the lobby.”
They arrived at what appeared to be a floating barge, the sign said Con Tien Restaurant. The driver dropped them off; Dr. Nguyen arranged for him to be available by phone. They were seated on the upper level which was open to the air with a curved roof above.
The menu was mostly fish or chicken served with a selection of Vietnamese fish sauces. Roberta chose fish, Cam had chicken. Several fish sauces came with the meal including 'Red Boat' which became Roberta's favorite.
“This is excellent,” said Roberta.
“I'm so glad you like it,” said Cam. “As you can taste it's very important to find a fish sauce you like to highlight the meal.”
They spent their dinner mostly discussing the viral outbreak. When they had finished their meals, Cam called the driver while she and Roberta drank a glass of wine. The drive back to the hotel was uneventful. Roberta was soon asleep.
She knew something was wrong as soon as she awoke the next morning.
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