As of November 15, the number of suspected measles rash fever cases in Can Tho City was 772 cases, 149 confirmed measles cases, 102 clinical measles cases without testing and fortunately no deaths.
According to information from Can Tho Children's Hospital, the number of measles cases has decreased compared to about a month ago, but the disease is still complicated. The number of severe complications remains high, requiring doctors to be on duty and provide ventilator intervention for children.
Specialist Doctor II Huynh Hung Dung - Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Can Tho Children's Hospital - informed that from June until now, the rate of complications is high and severe, mainly complications of pneumonia and respiratory failure. In October and November, there were many cases requiring mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy.
“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.
Can Tho Department of Health also said that since the beginning of October, the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City has issued an official dispatch on receiving measles-rubella vaccine to vaccinate against measles in 2024. Can Tho City has been allocated 20,000 doses of vaccine.
The first phase of the measles vaccination campaign for children aged 1-5 (who have not yet received all their doses) has administered nearly 8,000 doses of measles vaccine. The second phase of the campaign was also held in mid-October this year.
Currently, Can Tho City is requesting additional vaccines and continuing to screen children who have not been vaccinated against measles to continue vaccination. The health sector continues to proactively monitor the development of the epidemic situation in the area, especially the unusual developments of measles, flu, dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease.
