Recently, the Ministry of Health issued a warning that hand, foot and mouth disease is on the rise. Enterovirus (EV71) can cause severe hand, foot and mouth disease. Some severe cases have been recorded and there have been deaths.
Concerns about increasing disease
According to the Ministry of Health, through the infectious disease surveillance system, from the beginning of 2023 to now, the whole country has recorded 8,995 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease; of which there have been 3 deaths. In recent weeks, the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases has tended to increase rapidly. In addition, what is worrying is the appearance of the Enterovirus (EV71) virus that can cause severe hand, foot and mouth disease, with a number of severe cases recorded.
Through some official media channels, the Ho Chi Minh City health sector is concerned that hand, foot and mouth disease will increase in the coming time. It is predicted that the increase in this disease will lead to a serious risk of shortage of medicine to treat hand, foot and mouth disease.
In Binh Thuan, the whole province has 33 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease. Specifically, cases were recorded in Phan Thiet with 8 cases, Bac Binh with 2 cases, Ham Thuan Bac with 9 cases, Ham Thuan Nam with 5 cases, La Gi with 2 cases, Duc Linh with 3 cases, Tanh Linh with 4 cases; of which, Ham Thuan Bac and Phan Thiet have the highest number of cases in the province. Through the data, it shows that the number of cases of this disease in the whole province is not high, scattered in 7 districts, towns and cities. 3 districts have not recorded any cases: Tuy Phong, Phu Quy and Ham Tan.
According to Dr. Nguyen Tuan Anh - Deputy Director of Ham Thuan Bac Medical Center, 99% of hand, foot and mouth disease cases in Ham Thuan Bac in the past were mild and treated symptomatically; there were no severe cases. The number of cases was also scattered in the community. If severe cases appeared, the severe patients would be transferred to higher levels.
Strengthen disease prevention
Faced with the rapidly increasing epidemic situation, the Ministry of Health has just issued Document 3463 requesting the People's Committees of provinces and cities to strengthen the prevention of hand, foot and mouth disease, focusing on disease prevention and control in areas with high numbers of cases and at risk of outbreaks. In particular, nurseries, kindergartens, and preschools must drastically implement measures to prevent this disease, ensuring regular, proper, and convenient hand washing with soap or hand sanitizer. Implement environmental sanitation, classrooms, provide enough drinking water, clean water, and ensure food safety in collective kitchens. Regularly clean tables, chairs, surfaces, and toys daily with soap or common detergents. Early detection of cases of the disease in educational and training facilities, immediately notify local health agencies to organize examination, treatment, and timely handling of outbreaks.
It is known that hand, foot and mouth disease often appears in children under 10 years old. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for this disease. The best way to protect children from getting sick is to focus on disease prevention in the community. In addition to eating clean food, parents must clean children's toys, doorknobs, flat surfaces, floors, table tops, etc. to prevent disease in children. At the same time, parents need to detect early signs of illness in children to promptly take them to a medical facility for treatment.
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