Around 14,000 residents aged from 5 to 40 in the two communes received shots of vaccine, according to Mr. Van.
The health sector will continue offering vaccine to toddlers aged from two to four.
Diphtheria vaccination campaign followed a breakout of the disease. Before, a 13-year-old boy in Hoi Son village had symptoms of diphtheria on October 5; however, his relative thought he had flu so they self-medicated at home by purchasing drugs from nearby pharmacy.
Six days later, the boy had high fever and sore throat. He was rushed to Thai Binh Duong General Hospital and then transferred to the Maternity Hospital in the central city of Da Nang where physicians took his blood samples for testing.
Test results carried out by the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang has shown he was positive for diphtheria.
Two other boys in Duy Nghia Commune were reported to have symptoms of diphtheria on October 19. They were hospitalized in the Maternity Hospital in Da Nang in isolation section. Their samples are being tested by the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang.
Two years ago, seven students of a primary school in Nam Tra My District had been infected with diphtheria.
According to the Ministry of Health, diphtheria had been popular in the country; however, after vaccine against diphtheria was included in the National Expanded Immunization Program, diphtheria rates have dropped dramatically in the country and just some cases were reported in unvaccinated regions mostly distant areas.
The Ministry said that the disease has not been almost completely eradicated in Vietnam if people are not vaccinated against it and contact with ill people.
