Many cases of measles due to not being vaccinated
A 2-year-old girl with measles (in Thanh Xuan, Hanoi) has a complex congenital disease, multiple bowel obstructions, and has undergone surgery and has undergone an artificial anastasis at another medical facility. Currently, the child is still receiving intensive treatment at the hospital. MSc. Dr. Nguyen Van Truong - Deputy Head of the Department of Intensive Care - Anti-Poison, Hanoi Children's Hospital - said: This is one of the seriously ill patients who have to be hospitalized for inpatient treatment due to measles. Most patients have complications of pneumonia, some patients have severe complications of pneumonia, respiratory failure, and need oxygen support, ventilating and not ventilating.
Some children in serious condition have underlying diseases such as atherosclerosis, malnutrition, down disease and other chronic diseases...
According to MSc. Dr. Nguyen Van Truong, most of the children being treated at the Department are children under 2 years old, most of whom are under 9 months old, who have not been vaccinated. Children are directly and indirectly exposed to measles. However, there are still cases of measles in older children or adults due to not being vaccinated against measles or having been vaccinated against measles but not fully.
Patient H.M.D, 15 years old, in Cao Bang. Ms. N.T.H (the patient's mother) said: "nearly a week ago, my child showed symptoms of continuous high fever of nearly 40 degrees Celsius, swelling in the two jawline gland, and poor appetite, so the family took him to Hanoi Medical University Hospital for examination. When the results were positive for measles, the child was transferred to Hanoi Children's Hospital for treatment".
Dr. Do Thi Thuy Nga - Deputy Director of Hanoi Children's Hospital - Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases - said: Measles is an acute infectious disease, spreading strongly and potentially causing an epidemic caused by the measles virus. Since the beginning of the year, Hanoi Children's Hospital has received nearly 300 cases of measles for inpatient treatment and more than 100 cases of measles for outpatient treatment. Currently, the hospital is treating 36 patients with measles.
Anti-infection in hospitals needs to be implemented immediately
According to statistics from the Hanoi Department of Health, from the beginning of the year to March 25, the whole city had 1,202 cases of suspected measles rash fever, including 1,058 cases of measles identified. Measles patients were recorded in all 30 districts, towns, and 328 communes, wards and towns.
Currently, more than 200 patients with measles are being treated in public and non -public hospitals, of which, 52 patients at Green Po General Hospital, 44 patients at Hanoi Children's Hospital, 20 patients at Duc Giang General Hospital, Thanh Nhan Hospital have 18 patients, agricultural hospitals of 11 patients, Ha Dong General Hospital of 10 patients ...
The control and prevention of medical infection.
Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan - Director of the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (Ministry of Health) - said: To cope with the measles epidemic, it is necessary to improve community immunity through fully and accurately vaccinating against measles, managing vaccinated subjects well, especially in areas with changing population and difficult to access, proactively detecting area of concture, conducting appropriate dialysis and additional vaccination.
One of the important factors is infection control in the community through vaccination, disease prevention instructions, and self-monitoring of health.
This expert warned about the need to urgently fight infections in hospitals: "Anti-infection in hospitals needs to be implemented immediately with the control of measles cases admitted to the hospital through Dialysis, early and accurate diagnosis, limiting family members/caregivers' contact with cases, isolation and treatment...".
Faced with the risk of measles infection, the Hanoi Department of Health requires public and non-public health facilities to strengthen infection control, cross-infection prevention and control. Units must allocate disease examination, admission, and treatment appropriately, minimize death and be ready to respond if the number of hospitalizations increases. At the same time, it is necessary to arrange screening and isolation areas effectively and improve the quality of patient care.
According to the Ministry of Health, the number of measles cases is increasing sharply in many provinces and cities in the first quarter of 2025, higher than the same period in 2024, accompanied by a number of deaths. In this situation, the ministry has issued an urgent document requesting medical facilities nationwide to increase the flow, admission, treatment and control of measles infection.
