Increasing measles cases, Ministry of Health requires hospitals to triage and set up isolation treatment areas

Hospitals must organize triage and arrange separate examination areas in the examination department for people suspected of having measles and people with measles; arrange isolated measles treatment areas in the infectious diseases department, pediatrics department or isolation areas of clinical departments, ensure isolation of measles cases, and control infections to prevent cross-infection.

Báo Sài Gòn Giải phóng•30/03/2025

Faced with the continuing increase in measles, the Ministry of Health has issued a document requesting directors of hospitals under the Ministry of Health, leaders of health departments of provinces and cities, and heads of health departments of ministries and branches to strengthen the work of triage, admission, treatment and control of measles infection in medical examination and treatment facilities.

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The Ministry of Health requires hospitals to screen and triage measles patients for treatment.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health requested leaders of units to focus on developing, reviewing, and updating measles prevention plans in medical examination and treatment facilities, including preparing plans for admission, emergency care, isolation, and treatment in the event of an increase in suspected measles cases, measles patients coming for medical examination and hospitalization, and an increase in severe and critical cases; at the same time, strengthen diverse communication measures so that patients, their relatives, and medical staff clearly understand measles and measles prevention measures; organize guidance and recommendations for patients' relatives, suspected measles patients, and measles patients to apply measures to reduce the spread of the disease such as wearing masks and covering their mouths when sneezing.

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Treatment for children with measles at the National Children's Hospital

Regarding the organization of screening, admission, isolation and treatment of measles, the Ministry of Health requires hospitals to organize triage and arrange separate examination areas in the examination department for suspected measles patients and measles patients; arrange isolated measles admission and treatment areas in the infectious diseases department, pediatrics department or isolation areas of clinical departments, ensure isolation of measles cases, control infections to prevent cross-infection. Medical examination and treatment facilities also need to adjust the size of hospital beds, add appropriate human resources to meet treatment needs, reduce the burden on medical staff; at the same time, limit the number of visitors in medical examination and treatment facilities to prevent infection in medical examination and treatment facilities and the community.

In the first 3 months of 2025, the country recorded over 42,500 suspected measles cases, with many measles-related deaths. The majority of measles cases were in children aged 9 months to under 15 years old (accounting for 72.7%). According to the National Children's Hospital, since the beginning of 2025, more than 2,700 children with measles have been treated, more than double the number of measles cases in the whole year of 2024. Among the measles cases hospitalized for treatment, 13 deaths have been recorded. Currently, the hospital examines and screens an average of 70-90 children with measles each day, with peaks of more than 100 children per day.

KHANH NGUYEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/gia-tang-ca-mac-soi-bo-y-te-yeu-cau-cac-benh-vien-phan-luong-lap-khu-dieu-tri-cach-ly-post788393.html