The Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management under the Ministry of Health has issued an official dispatch to provincial and city health departments and hospitals, emphasizing the importance of strengthening diagnosis, patient classification, admission, and control measures for measles infections.
As per the Ministry’s dispatch, hospitals should identify persons with signs or symptoms of measles who are separated from other patients prior to or as soon as possible after entry into a facility. Patients with clinically suspected measles or other clinical warning signs should be admitted to a single room.
At the same time, medical examination and treatment facilities must prepare medicines, medical equipment, supplies, and personal protective equipment.
Moreover, the Ministry of Health has mandated that hospitals strictly adhere to regulations governing the classification, admission, isolation, and treatment of measles cases to effectively contain the spread of the disease and minimize mortality rates.
Since the commencement of 2024, Vietnam has experienced a significant surge in measles cases, with over 20,000 suspected cases and nearly 5,000 confirmed cases. Tragically, five fatalities have been attributed to measles, including three in Ho Chi Minh City and one each in Ben Tre and Binh Duong. Compared to the corresponding period in 2023, the number of suspected and confirmed cases has increased by a staggering 52.9 times and 111 times respectively.
Multiple localities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Nghe An, Dak Lak, Binh Duong, Hanoi, Khanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Can Tho, and Dong Thap, have reported a significant increase in both suspected and confirmed measles cases. The surge in outbreaks can be attributed to the natural cycle of the disease and inadequate vaccination coverage rates.
