Though severely cold weather hit the North region for three days, it has seen a surge of hospitalizations in Hanoi. Specifically, the National Children Hospital has admitted nearly 2,000 children a day recently. Most of the children in the hospital experienced fever, coughing, breathing problem and running nose because of viral infection.
Meantime, parents also rushed their children to the children faculties of Hanoi-based Bach Mai and Saint Paul hospitals .
Deputy Director of the National Children Hospital Tran Minh Dien said that prolonged winter season is the time of year when we have more respiratory infections amongst children; therefore, parents must keep children warm. When a child experiences fever, coughing, parents must keep an eye on children and never self-medicate but take to nearby hospitals.
Cold weather also drove old people into hospitals. The National Geriatric Hospital and the geriatric wards in Bach Mai Hospital and the National heart Institute have seen an escalation of senior citizens. For instance, the National Geriatric Hospital has lately received hundreds of old patients who have problems of blood pressure, heart diseases, and stroke.
Worse, hospital admission rates also increased in medical centers in mountainous districts such as Cao Bang, Lang Son, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai.
Medical workers advised old people should pay attention to their diet and not take exercise outside.
Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son yesterday sent an urgent dispatch to departments of health in cities and provinces in the Northern and Central regions ordering to guiding people how to keep warm outside and in closed rooms.
The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that temperature in the North region will continue dropping in the next few days. For example, temperature in Lang Son province will be 1.3 Celsius degree while it will be 6 and 6.1 Celsius degree in Ha Giang and Cao Bang.
