As of November 2024, Vietnam has recorded several cases of diphtheria this year. In the first 6 months of 2024, the country recorded 5 cases, including 1 death. Ha Giang province recorded 3 cases in January, February and April in old outbreak areas in Meo Vac, Dong Van and Yen Minh districts.
Nghe An province recorded 1 case and death in June in Ky Son district.
Bac Giang province recorded 1 case in July in Hiep Hoa district, in close contact with the death case in Nghe An.
Most recently, Cao Bang recorded 1 death due to diphtheria. In Khau Noong hamlet, Thach Lam commune, Bao Lam district, a family with a deceased patient lives isolated on a hill, far from other households. The family has 8 members, and no one has shown any symptoms of suspected illness. Through initial investigation, there were 19 people in close contact with the patient, including 11 people at school and 8 people in the family.
Currently, the source of infection of the case has not been determined. In particular, the implementation of preventive treatment with antibiotics is facing major obstacles due to the characteristics of the highland region: large area, sparse population, difficult transportation and most people can only walk. These factors are increasing the pressure on epidemic prevention work in the area.
Dr. Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) commented: Diphtheria is not a new disease and there has been a vaccine used in the Expanded Immunization Program in Vietnam since 1985. Vaccination has created widespread immunity in the community, helping to reduce the number of cases hundreds of times compared to 1983, when there were about 3,500 cases.
However, in recent years, sporadic cases have been recorded in places where vaccination rates have not reached 100%, especially in remote areas where vaccine supply conditions are difficult, leading to the creation of vaccination "troughs".
Dr. Hoang Minh Duc affirmed that the diphtheria situation in 2024 is not yet a complicated problem, the number of cases is low, small outbreaks are still under control, and the risk of widespread infection is low.
To proactively prevent diphtheria, he recommends that people take their children from 2 months to 7 years old to get vaccinated with vaccines containing diphtheria components fully and on schedule. They should wash their hands frequently with soap, cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing, maintain personal hygiene and keep their living environment clean and airy. When there are signs of illness or suspected diphtheria, they should go to a medical facility for timely examination and treatment.
