Infectious diseases increase rapidly and are dangerous.

Children with hand, foot and mouth disease are being treated at the City Children's Hospital.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health , last week the country recorded 4,122 suspected measles cases, down 8.8% compared to the previous week (4,519 cases) and recorded 2 deaths related to measles, including one case being treated for cancer, having many underlying diseases and one case of a child being hospitalized after 3 days. Since the beginning of 2025, the country has recorded 76,312 suspected measles cases in 63 provinces and cities, of which 8,614 cases were positive.

Most of the measles cases increased rapidly in the northern provinces. The age of the disease has begun to change by age group after the end of the measles vaccination campaign. Specifically, compared to the first 3 months of 2025, the number of measles cases in the group from 1 to 10 years old accounted for 61.4%, now it has decreased to 6% and decreased slightly in the group under 1 year old. However, there is an increase in the group over 10 years old and adults.

In the southern region, according to statistics from the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, last week, the city recorded 476 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, an increase of 36.6% compared to the previous month. The total number of cases since the beginning of 2025 is 3,168. Localities with high numbers of cases include Binh Tan district, District 8, and Nha Be district. At Children's Hospital 1, since the beginning of 2025, 142 children have been hospitalized due to hand, foot and mouth disease, an increase compared to the same period in 2024 and higher than the average of the previous 5 years. On average, the hospital receives and treats 30-40 children with hand, foot and mouth disease each week.

The hospital is treating 3 severe cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (grade 3, grade 4), and it is predicted that in the coming month, the rate of children with this disease will increase rapidly. At Thu Duc City Hospital, Dr. Pham Hoang Anh Khoa, Department of Pediatrics, said that since the beginning of the year, the unit has received and treated more than 130 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, much higher than last year. The number of cases is still on the rise, most of them are children under 5 years old.

According to Master-Doctor Nguyen Dinh Qui, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital 2, hand, foot and mouth disease appears in April, May and September, October every year. The disease not only affects infants and young children but also adults are at risk of contracting the disease. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent the disease, nor specific treatment, most patients will recover after 10-14 days. However, the disease can also become serious and lead to death. Hand, foot and mouth disease is easily spread by contact with nasal secretions, throat, saliva, fluid from blisters, or contact surfaces such as tables, chairs, doorknobs, tiled floors, personal belongings of the patient, etc.

"When children get sick, the initial symptoms are often fever, poor appetite, discomfort and sore throat. About 1-2 days after the fever, children develop sores on the tongue, gums and inside the cheeks causing pain. The red rash is flat or raised, accompanied by blisters concentrated on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and may appear on the buttocks and some other places. Families should take their children to the hospital for timely examination and treatment to avoid complications," Master-Doctor Nguyen Dinh Qui advised.

The Ministry of Health has just issued an official dispatch requesting the health departments of provinces and cities to strengthen communication about the epidemic situation and disease prevention recommendations. In addition, review the subjects of children aged 11 to 15 who have not been vaccinated or have not received 2 doses of measles vaccine; people with unknown vaccination history, have never had measles to perform vaccination; At the same time, request medical examination and treatment facilities to perform well the classification, admission, treatment of measles patients and control the infection problem well.

THANH AN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/benh-truyen-nhiem-tang-nhanh-nguy-hiem-post791673.html