Measles in Can Tho increases rapidly, many children have serious complications

Many cases require ventilators and oxygen.

According to a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Can Tho Children's Hospital, measles patients were lying everywhere from the hospital room to the hallway. Among them, there were patients who were only a few months old and even patients who were 14 - 15 years old.

Sitting and holding her 13-month-old son who had measles, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc No (22 years old, O Mon district, Can Tho city) said that when the disease started, the child had a high fever of 39 - 40 degrees Celsius, and had convulsions, so she took the child to the hospital for monitoring. "During the 2 days of hospitalization, the child started to have a rash, was fussy, could not eat or drink anything, continued to have a high fever that did not go down and had another convulsion, so the doctors gave the child oxygen," Ms. No confided.

Similarly, Ms. Mai Thi Anh Thu's baby (25 years old, Cai Rang district, Can Tho city) was a few months old. Initially, the baby had a fever, but taking medicine did not help. Two days later, the baby's condition got worse, so she took the baby to the hospital. After that, the baby fainted and had difficulty breathing, so she had to be given oxygen.

Specialist Doctor II Huynh Hung Dung - Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Can Tho Children's Hospital - informed that since June, the number of rash fever cases has increased, the rate of complications is high and severe, mainly complications of pneumonia and respiratory failure. On October 8, there were 2 measles cases at the hospital requiring ventilator intervention and 4 cases of oxygen. Currently, 2 cases of ventilators have passed the isolation period, so they were transferred to the Intensive Care Unit for continued treatment.

“Children with measles often have typical symptoms such as high fever and rash. In some cases, wheezing, rapid breathing, and chest retraction are signs that the child is suffering from respiratory failure and needs oxygen therapy, as well as antibiotics to treat severe pneumonia,” said Dr. Dung.

Dr. Dung added that at this time, the number of rash fever cases is increasing 10 times compared to the same period last year. On October 7 alone, the hospital's Infectious Diseases Department had nearly 230 cases of rash fever (including measles). By October 8, doctors had discharged 85 cases, but the number of rash fever cases continues to increase.

Parents eagerly take their children for vaccination

Can Tho City has begun implementing the first phase of the measles vaccination campaign in 2024 in 9 districts. The target of this campaign is children aged 1-5 who have not received enough doses of measles vaccine and are living and studying in the city.

According to a reporter at Hoa Cuc Kindergarten (An Khanh Ward, Ninh Kieu District), from early morning, parents were eager to take their children for vaccination. Ms. Vo Thi Thu (An Khanh Ward) said: "I proactively went to get my child vaccinated for safety" - Ms. Thu said.

Ms. Quang Mong Thuy Trang (An Khanh ward) also asked for leave from work today to take her son for vaccination. "I am very happy that the city has a vaccination campaign for the baby, which saves some of the cost for the parents" - Ms. Thuy Trang said.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Can Tho City informed that the first phase of the campaign took place over 3 days (from October 9 to 11). The first two days were spent vaccinating at schools for groups of children in nurseries, kindergartens, preschools; foster care facilities, social protection facilities, shelters... On the third day, vaccinations were given at health stations for children who have not yet gone to school and for catch-up vaccinations. The second phase of the campaign was for children aged 6-10 (from October 16 to 18).

Previously, on October 1, the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City issued an official dispatch on receiving measles-rubella vaccines to vaccinate against measles in 2024. Can Tho City was allocated 20,000 doses of vaccine.