Disease outbreaks likely to occur in Hanoi

While dengue fever cases dropped, cases of measles, mump, whooping cough, rubella and chickenpox are likely to rise in Hanoi. Worse, upward trend in the number of measles continue to increase.
 
A medical worker is examining an adult suffering measles in Hanoi (Photo: SGGP)
A medical worker is examining an adult suffering measles in Hanoi (Photo: SGGP)
As per the Department of Health in the capital city of Vietnam, so far, the city has 395 dengue fever patients. Accordingly, within 11 months of 2017, Hanoi recorded 37,422 infection cases including seven deaths .
At present, the health sector has controlled 5,521 outbreaks while 89 others occurred.
Deputy Head of the Department of Health Hoang Duc Hanh said that though the number of dengue infected people decreased for weeks and the health sector basically controlled the disease development, some other diseases of winter-spring including measles are on rise.
According to Mr. Hanh, in past week, six cases of measles were reported bringing the cases of infections up to 214 since the beginning of the year; 77 people were found positive for measles and one people succumbed to the disease. The rate at which the disease is spreading shows no sign of slowing.
Within two recent months, the number of infections is half of total cases recorded from the beginning of the year. Most of them have been vaccinated or not fully immunized against measles.
Because the disease is likely to spread in conducive weather, the health authority in Hanoi asked relevant agencies to enhance environment hygiene task, encourage parents to take their kids to medical clinics for vaccination as well as review those who have been injected vaccine against measles to visit infirmaries for immunization.
Accordingly, parents of kids aged nine to twelve months old should take their kids to medical facilities for first injection and kids over 18 months old should take second injection or measles-rubella for kids from one to 14 years old.
Hospitals must arrange patients in separate rooms to curb cross infection.
The National Children Hospital's Infection department has so far received 80 measles kids including 30 in Hanoi and the youngest is nine month old infant. Of hospitalized measles patients in hospitals, some adults have the disease and they suffered serious complications
Fretting about the complex development of the disease, head of the Preventive department Prof. Tran Dac Phu warned the weather is conducive for development of contagious disease especially respiratory diseases.
Measles cases are spreading with "red alarm" speed in comparison to dengue because measles is a highly contagious virus that can spread to others through coughing and sneezing.
Accordingly, medical clinics must isolate measles patients even those who are suspected to have the disease to curb the spread, health chief Tran Dac Phu said.
Head of the Infectious Disease Department of Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi Dr. Do Duy Cuong said anyone can catch the disease including vaccinated people ; however, children are at risk of having the disease and suffering complications even death. Therefore, he warned 30 percent of measles kids will experience pneumonia, ear infection, diarrhea, encephalitis .
As a result, parents should keep an eye on their kids' disease development to early discover complications.

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