Preventive health center in Nam Tra My District reported the incident to the province’s health authority and People’s Committee about the infected cases. The outbreak of diphtheria occurred in the school with 199 pupils and 14 teaching staffs.
After receiving the information, the health department ordered the preventive health center and local health medical clinic to pay visits to the school for understanding the development of the disease as well as set up mission teams to isolate infected people and handle the development.
Moreover, a report of the disease should be sent to the Department of Health and Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang town.
Seven infected primary schoolers with three boys and four girls experienced symptoms of fever, sore throat, and swollen neck which are closely linked to diphtheria. Test results carried out by Pasteur Institute showed that samples are positive for diphtheria.
Six of diseased schoolers aged 8 to 12 are receiving medical treatment in a local hospital and they are recovering well. Student Ho Bao Phuc, born in April 1, 2009 developed illness on September 27; accordingly, he was hospitalized on September 29.
Despite medical workers’ efforts to save, his illness did not abate so he was transferred to the province’s general hospital and Maternity Hospital. He died on October 3 due to its complication.
The health authority asked to implement prevention task including isolating infected people in their families and providing check-up to people who contacted with infected schoolers.
Disinfectants are sprayed in the school and patients’ houses in ten days. In addition, vaccination will be administered for people at the age of five to forty and kids from one to four years old in two mountainous districts Nam Tra My and Bac Tra My.
Director of the department of Health in Quang Nam province Nguyen Van Hai said that early this week, a mission team from the department will arrive in Nam Tra My District for supervising and discovering fresh case.
Earlier, in January and May, a diphtheria outbreak occurred in Phuoc Son and Tay Giang districts killing five people.
