Cases spike
During the rainy season in Can Tho City every year, dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease are often a concern for people, especially parents with young children. However, this year, the number of cases of these diseases has decreased compared to the same period last year, instead, measles has shown signs of complicated developments.
Speaking with Lao Dong, Specialist Doctor I Le Phuc Hien - Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control - International Health Quarantine (CDC Can Tho City) said that according to statistics, from the beginning of 2024 to September 23, the city recorded 494 cases of dengue fever, a decrease of 1,003 cases; 750 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, a decrease of 1,288 cases compared to the same period in 2023.
In the first 7 months of this year, the city recorded only 7 cases of measles. But from August 2024 to now, the number of measles cases has started to increase, with 149 cases of suspected measles rash fever and 82 positive measles cases, compared to the same period in 2023, no measles cases were recorded.
Also through monitoring by CDC Can Tho in Ninh Kieu district and screening at kindergartens, preschools, and primary schools, there are over 2,000 children who have not been vaccinated against measles. In Binh Thuy district, the health station in coordination with schools recorded about 3,000 children who have not received enough doses of measles vaccination.
According to doctors, to proactively prevent the disease, children should be vaccinated against measles as soon as they are 9 months old and given the second measles and rubella booster shot when they are 18 months old, according to the national expanded immunization program at health stations. Currently, Can Tho City has enough measles vaccines in the expanded immunization program.
Warning of complications
At Can Tho Children’s Hospital, doctors have been and are continuing to treat cases of children with measles, most of whom have not been vaccinated or have not received enough doses. In some cases, because the children initially took the wrong medicine, when they were admitted to the hospital, they were in a serious condition, with complications, especially respiratory damage.
For example, a 10-month-old patient from O Mon district had a fever when he first developed the disease. His family thought he had a normal fever, so they went to the pharmacy to buy fever-reducing medicine. After 3 days, the child still did not get better, so the family took him to the hospital. There, the doctor said he had measles and pneumonia.
"The family feels very regretful for ignoring the initial symptoms of the disease and not treating it properly. We will take better care of the baby," said the baby's grandmother.
Specialist Doctor II Huynh Hung Dung - Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases (Can Tho Children's Hospital) - informed that measles is highly contagious, leading to many complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis - meningitis, otitis media, corneal ulcers...
"The top priority is for parents to get their children vaccinated against measles as soon as they are full-term, and remember to schedule booster shots so that their children are immune. In addition, when parents see their children showing signs of fever accompanied by upper respiratory tract infection, conjunctivitis, etc., they should take their children to the hospital for early diagnosis and treatment," Dr. Dung advised.
In order to proactively implement the work of preventing and controlling measles, reducing the rate of morbidity and mortality due to measles in the city and preparing for the measles vaccination campaign, the Can Tho City Department of Health has recently requested relevant agencies and units to coordinate to increase the rate of immunity and prevent and control measles in the community.
