Measles cases increase
A 4-year-old boy (HCMC) was admitted to Children's Hospital 1 (HCMC) with a persistent cough and was diagnosed with pneumonia complications due to measles. The family said the child had never been vaccinated against measles.
According to Dr. Du Tuan Quy - Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases - Neurology at Children's Hospital 1, the number of hospitalizations has increased significantly in recent weeks, from 80 cases to more than 100 cases per week. Most of the children have not been vaccinated or have not received 2 doses. Some parents, especially in rural areas, still have the misconception that measles is a mild disease and does not require vaccination. At the department, 90% of hospitalized children have complications, mainly pneumonia and enteritis.
According to statistics from the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, since the beginning of the year, 20 provinces and cities in the Southern region have recorded 19,000 measles cases, an increase of 56.5 times compared to 2023. There are 63 outbreaks in 16 provinces and cities, of which 46 outbreaks are active.
The 4 provinces with the number of cases increasing by more than 200 cases/week are Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and Ca Mau. Of which, Dong Nai province is increasing very rapidly. The age group with the highest number of cases in the area is 1-10 years old.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, from the beginning of 2024 to week 48 (December 1), Ho Chi Minh City recorded a total of 2,438 measles cases, including 1,752 inpatients and 686 outpatients, with 4 deaths. The number of cases from other provinces treated at 4 hospitals in the city also increased; the cumulative number of measles cases from other provinces was 4,242; 1 death was recorded at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
Strengthen screening of children vaccinated
According to Dr. Nguyen Vu Thuong - Deputy Director of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, currently, the vaccination coverage rate in the southern provinces is high. However, after many weeks, the number of cases has not decreased. This may be because the vaccine has not been able to reach the population of children who are mobile.
To control measles epidemics, localities continue to effectively screen children and deploy additional measles vaccination campaigns.
In addition, during the epidemic handling process, localities do not wait for test results. When children show signs of fever and rash, it is necessary to immediately identify measles and implement prevention and control methods.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the city's health sector continues to implement a single measles vaccination campaign for children from 6 months to under 9 months old; continues to review and implement a measles vaccination campaign for children 1-10 years old in the area.
Hospitals and medical facilities should strengthen screening and vaccination against measles for children in risk groups (congenital diseases, chronic diseases, etc.) if there are no contraindications. The health sector also recommends that to proactively prevent the epidemic, parents should take their children to get vaccinated against measles according to schedule.
