Meningococcal disease tends to increase again
According to the Ministry of Health, from week 1 to week 14 of 2026, the whole country recorded 24 cases of meningococcal disease, including 4 deaths. Children under 15 years old account for 46% of the total number of cases, showing that this is the most vulnerable group.
Although cases are still sporadic and no outbreaks have formed, the number of cases has clearly increased compared to the same period in 2025 (14 cases), showing the risk of meningococcal silent spread, especially threatening children.
Recently, the Bach Mai Institute of Tropical Medicine, Bach Mai Hospital recorded a case of meningococcal meningitis. According to doctors, the patient was transferred from a lower level in a state of deep coma, respiratory failure, continuous high fever, gastrointestinal bleeding and necrotic hemorrhagic rash. Previously, the patient showed signs of fatigue, chills, self-infusion at home but did not improve. After that, the fever increased and a hemorrhagic rash appeared in the neck and chest area, so he was taken to the emergency room.
When suspected of meningococcal meningitis, doctors urgently isolated, tested and used specific antibiotics. The results determined that the patient was positive for Neisseria meningitidis. Close contact was warned, preventive medicine was used, and functional agencies were notified. The patient was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis, accompanied by a risk of septicemia. After intensive treatment, the patient was awake and no longer needed respiratory support.
The disease is easily transmitted
Faced with the increasing risk of meningococcus, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Phuong (Thong Tay Hoi ward, Ho Chi Minh City) proactively took her 18-month-old child to get vaccinated at Go Vap General Hospital. According to Ms. Phuong, although her child has been vaccinated with many doses since childhood, the ACYW meningococcus vaccine has not been completed, so the family decided to get enough vaccination to increase protection when the epidemic shows signs of complexity.
Records at many vaccination points show that the demand for ACYW meningococcal vaccine is increasing. At the VNVC Hoang Van Thu Vaccination Center (HCMC), Hoang Huong (21 years old) also proactively vaccinated after knowing about a case in a young person, due to concerns that the disease would progress very quickly.
Dr. Doan Thu Tra - acting Director of Bach Mai Institute of Tropical Medicine - said that meningococcus is caused by bacteria residing in the pharynx, transmitted through droplets and easily breaks out in crowded environments such as schools, dormitories, collective areas, and barracks. Worryingly, many people carry bacteria without symptoms, becoming a silent source of infection.
The disease progresses very quickly, can cause meningitis, sepsis, multiple organ failure and death within 24 hours if not treated promptly. Even after surviving, the patient still has the risk of leaving serious sequelae such as deafness, convulsions or permanent nerve damage.
According to Dr. Bach Thi Chinh, Medical Director of the VNVC Vaccination System, meningococcus can occur at any age and easily break out in crowded environments such as dormitories, apartments, kindergartens, schools or industrial parks. Vaccination is the most proactive and effective measure to prevent meningococcus. People, especially children and adolescents, need to be fully vaccinated according to recommendations.
In addition, when suspicious signs appear such as fever, fatigue, lethargy, slow cognition or subcutaneous hemorrhagic rash, people need to go to a medical facility immediately for diagnosis and timely treatment. Meningococcal meningitis can cause two severe pathologies: purulent meningitis and acute infection (Waterhouse - Friderichsen syndrome). Among them, acute infection can be life-threatening within 24 to 36 hours. Meningococcal meningitis can cause mild diseases such as arthritis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis..., but anyone without immunity is at risk of contracting it, especially young children and adolescents.
The Ministry of Health recommends maintaining personal hygiene, wearing masks, limiting contact with sources of disease, and improving resistance. When there are suspected symptoms, it is necessary to go to the doctor early for timely treatment; and at the same time strengthen disease prevention communication.
