In particular, 180,983 infection cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) were recorded last year, an increase of 2.7 times compared to the same period in 2022 and 31 deaths, an increase of 10.3 times compared to 2022.
The number of HFMD cases increased sharply in the southern provinces, of which Ho Chi Minh City had the highest number of infected people. Other infectious diseases such as measles, monkeypox, rabies, and diphtheria had all increased quite high.
Specifically, rabies recorded 82 deaths nationwide, an increase of 12 cases compared to the same period in 2022. Cases of typhoid fever caused by measles virus were 393, a year-on-year increase of 35 cases while Diphtheria recorded 55 cases and 5 deaths and monkeypox had 121 cases and 6 deaths.
The Ministry of Health said that in the past year, the lack of vaccines for the National Expanded Program for Immunization was reported in many localities across the country, leading to many children missing vaccination schedules; therefore, they were at high risk of infectious diseases.
Therefore, in 2024, the Ministry of Health has signed a contract to purchase 10 types of domestically produced vaccines and is distributing them to localities in January to ensure vaccination needs for children at all medical grassroots stations.
