On April 13, the Ministry of Health said that according to a monitoring report from week 1 to week 14 of 2026, the whole country recorded 24 cases of meningococcal disease, including 4 deaths. Notably, children under 15 years old account for 46% of the total number of cases. Cases are currently recorded scattered in the community, with no concentrated outbreaks yet. However, the number of cases is trending upwards recently and higher than the same period in 2025, when only 14 cases were recorded.
This reality shows the risk of the disease continuing to appear and affect people's health, especially children - a group vulnerable to dangerous infectious diseases.
Faced with the above situation, the Ministry of Health requests people to raise awareness of disease prevention, proactively and fully implement measures to protect health for themselves, their families and the community. In which, people need to practice personal hygiene well, regularly wash hands with soap and clean water; rinse their mouth and throat with antiseptic solutions for the nose and throat; wear masks when going to public places and on public transport; and at the same time limit contact with sick or suspected sick people.
In addition, maintaining the hygiene of the living environment is also very important. Families, schools and workplaces need to increase ventilation, clean surfaces and daily contact items such as door handles, table tops, toys made of soap or common detergents. In addition, each person needs to maintain a nutritious diet, and exercise regularly to improve resistance.
The Ministry of Health also recommends that when signs of suspected illness appear such as high fever, headache, nausea, stiff neck, and hemorrhagic rash, people should immediately go to the nearest medical facility for examination and timely treatment. Early detection and timely treatment are of particular importance in limiting severe complications and reducing the risk of death from the disease.
To enhance the effectiveness of preventing and controlling meningococcal diseases, the Ministry of Health requests press and media agencies to coordinate in promoting communication about the danger level of the disease, early identification signs as well as necessary disease prevention measures, thereby helping people proactively protect their health and the community.
Meningococcal disease is a dangerous acute infectious disease, caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, mainly transmitted through direct contact with nasal, pharyngeal, and throat secretions of patients or healthy people carrying the germ. This is an infectious disease with very rapid progression, which can cause severe forms such as purulent meningitis, septicemia, leaving serious consequences such as deafness, paralysis, mental retardation, and even death if not detected and treated promptly.
