According to the statistics of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City as of July 28, the entire region has reported 1,147 cases of suspected measles, of which 481 cases have been confirmed by testing (positive cases); the number of suspected measles cases has increased by 5.5 times compared to the same period in 2023.
Reports from hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City show that as of August 4, 2024, there have been 505 cases of suspected measles, of which 262 cases have been confirmed by testing; more than 50% are cases from provinces and cities other than Ho Chi Minh City who came to the city for treatment.
Among the cases with addresses in Ho Chi Minh City, there are 201 cases of suspected measles, of which 116 cases have been confirmed by testing. The entire city has had 48 wards in 14 districts and wards with confirmed measles cases; 8 districts and wards have had 2 or more wards with confirmed cases. Among the 116 confirmed cases, 27.6% are under 9 months old, 78.4% are under 5 years old. The number of patients who have not been vaccinated or have not received two doses of measles vaccine accounts for 66% and 30% have unknown vaccination history.
During this outbreak, the city's hospitals have recorded up to 3 cases of death related to measles, including: the first child was a 3-year-old girl, who had a background of immunodeficiency, developmental delay, malnutrition, and had not been vaccinated against measles; the second child was a 4-month-old girl, with Cushing's syndrome, adrenal gland hyperplasia, and had not yet reached the age for vaccination; the third child was a 7-year-old boy, who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, and had received two doses of measles vaccine. All three children had underlying chronic illnesses, leading to severe complications when they contracted measles and died despite intensive treatment.
In light of the rapid increase in measles cases in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces, the Department of Health has directed a series of stringent measures to control the spread of the disease in the city, prevent severe complications, and deaths.
At the same time, the Department of Health has called on each family with children to take their children to receive vaccinations according to local health announcements; individuals living with patients with underlying conditions should receive vaccinations to protect their loved ones.
