According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, from May 22 to May 28, the city recorded 157 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, an increase of 47.1% compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks. The number of cases increased in both inpatient and outpatient cases.
The disease is on the rise
On June 1, Dr. Tran Ngoc Luu, Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the hospital currently treats 20-30 inpatient cases of hand, foot and mouth disease every day. The disease has been increasing rapidly in the past 2 weeks.
"This is the hot season, digestive and respiratory diseases are on the rise, including hand, foot and mouth disease. The department has also recorded severe cases with neurological complications that require close monitoring and active treatment," Dr. Luu shared.
Doctor examines a child with early signs of hand, foot and mouth disease at Children's Hospital 2
In the first 5 months of 2023, Children's Hospital 1 received 1,349 outpatients and 158 inpatients for hand, foot and mouth disease. Up to now, statistics show that the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases has not increased compared to 2022, but the number of severe patients has increased compared to the same period in 2022.
Doctor Du Tuan Quy, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Neurology, Children's Hospital 1, said that the hospital is currently treating 15 cases, including 1 severe case of level 3 and 2 cases of level 2B.
Previously, on May 31, Children's Hospital 1 also recorded a death suspected to be due to hand, foot and mouth disease. On May 30, the Dak Lak Province Center for Disease Control also reported a case of a child dying from hand, foot and mouth disease.
According to Dr. Quy, hand, foot and mouth disease is mostly mild, but if not detected and treated promptly, the disease can cause many complications such as encephalitis, myocarditis leading to respiratory failure and death.
"However, before serious complications occur, there will be signs that parents can detect to take their children to the hospital promptly, such as fever that does not go down or waking up in the middle of the night," Dr. Quy noted.
Regarding medication, according to Dr. Quy, the hospital is currently lacking in medications such as intravenous phenobarbital and IVIVG. The hospital is using alternative oral medications for patients, closely monitoring signs of disease progression.
Signs to watch out for to detect the disease early
Dr. Nguyen Minh Tien, Deputy Director of the City Children's Hospital (HCMC), said that the hospital is currently treating 4 inpatient cases of hand, foot and mouth disease. This is also the beginning of the hand, foot and mouth disease season, so parents need to pay attention if their children show signs of fever, do not respond to antipyretics, or have a fever that is difficult to reduce. Pay attention to the manifestations of erythematous blisters on the palms, feet, buttocks, knees, mouth ulcers... to promptly detect hand, foot and mouth disease early and treat it promptly.
"When there are signs of rash, blisters, and mouth ulcers, you need to take them to the doctor immediately. These are the most easily recognizable signs. In addition, parents should also pay attention to signs that need to be alert, such as the child not eating, crying, drooling... For children who have been diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease, you need to pay attention to symptoms such as persistent fever that is difficult to reduce, the child is easily startled when sleeping, startled twice in 30 minutes or 3 times in 1 hour, shaking hands and feet, vomiting a lot, labored breathing...", Dr. Tran Ngoc Luu shared.
Erythematous rash on the soles of the feet of a child with hand, foot and mouth disease
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, hand, foot and mouth disease in Vietnam is a year-round infectious disease, commonly found in young children, especially those under 5 years old. The disease spreads quickly and can easily become an epidemic, with outbreaks usually occurring between March and May and August and September each year.
Most cases are mild, however in some cases the disease can progress severely and cause dangerous complications such as encephalitis - meningitis, myocarditis, acute pulmonary edema leading to death, so it needs to be detected early and treated promptly.
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