Three children died not from measles
On the morning of February 5, Director of the Quang Nam Department of Health Mai Van Muoi said that the provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC) had a quick report related to the deaths of 3 children in Tra Leng commune, Nam Tra My district, after directly inspecting the scene on the afternoon of February 4.
Previously, in the 3 days of January 29-31 (ie the 1st to 3rd day of the Lunar New Year), Tra Leng commune had 3 cases of illness in children leading to death.
Among them, there are 2 siblings: N.H.D (born in 2018) and N.T.T (born in 2021), children of Mr. N.V.T (in Ong Thuong hamlet, village 3). These two children had diarrhea 3 days before Tet, the village health worker came to the house to advise and guide them to the clinic but the household owner did not listen. Both children had severe diarrhea leading to dehydration, exhaustion, and death on the 1st and 2nd days of Tet.
The third death was H.K.H (born in 2020) - son of Mr. H.V.T (living in Den Pin roof, village 3, Tra Leng commune). The child had cough, fever, prolonged pneumonia, respiratory failure and died on the 3rd day of Tet.
At the same time that 3 children died, 43 cases of rash fever in children broke out in Tra Leng commune.
However, Mr. Mai Van Muoi - Director of Quang Nam Department of Health - said: "According to the initial diagnosis, all 3 children who died in Tra Leng were not due to measles. CDC Quang Nam has taken samples for testing and sent them to Pasteur Institute Nha Trang to determine the specific cause."
Emergency against typhus
According to the Quang Nam CDC, from January 25 to February 4, 43 children aged 1 to 12 in Tra Leng commune with symptoms of rash fever were treated at medical facilities. Many of these children had not been vaccinated or were not old enough to be vaccinated with measles antigens.
As of this morning, February 5, 7 children have recovered from the disease. The general condition of the children is alert and able to eat and drink.
“According to initial assessment, this is a rash fever epidemic. However, there are many types of rash fever. Common rash fever is a mild illness that usually goes away after a few days of treatment. Meanwhile, rash fever caused by measles leaves serious complications that can lead to death,” said Dr. Tran Van Kiem, Director of CDC Quang Nam.
The Quang Nam Health Department and local authorities are urgently implementing measures to prevent the outbreak of rash fever in Nam Tra My.
In particular, focusing on ensuring sufficient medicine stock, organizing medical examinations and dispensing medicine, monitoring treatment for children under treatment, being ready to receive and isolate severe cases; providing instructions on isolating and providing medical care for patients in the community within 7 days from the onset of rash; promoting propaganda and vaccination against measles/rubella to each household...
“We are taking samples from all cases treated at the District Health Center and Commune Health Station to send to Nha Trang Pasteur Institute for testing. We inform people that if their children show signs of fever and rash, they should immediately take them to a medical facility for monitoring and treatment...” – said Dr. Tran Van Kiem.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, from January 25 to February 2, 2025, the country recorded 1,562 cases of rash fever suspected of measles. In 2024, Vietnam recorded 7,583 positive cases and 16 deaths related to measles.
