Ho Chi Minh City still has districts that have not reached the measles vaccination rate.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City still has 3 districts with measles vaccination rates below 95%, including Tan Phu, District 3 and Can Gio.

On October 12, 2024, Ho Chi Minh City administered a total of 1,166 measles vaccine doses at 139 vaccination sites across the city . Thus, up to now, 99% of children aged 1-10 who have not received enough measles vaccine doses have been vaccinated.

Total number of measles vaccinations for children aged 1-10 years old (as of October 12, 2024).

As of October 12, the total number of measles vaccinations in the city was 219,470. Of which, children aged 1-5 years old received 45,885 doses (99.80%), and children aged 6-10 years old received 147,135 doses (99.31%). The measles vaccination campaign achieved 99% of the plan.

Currently, there are 3 districts with measles vaccination rates below 95%, including Tan Phu, District 3 and Can Gio. The Department of Health requested the People's Committees of these districts to speed up the progress to achieve the campaign's goals in the districts.

For districts that have achieved a rate of 95% or higher, it is necessary to maintain updates on the situation of mobile children to avoid missing unvaccinated children in the area.

On October 12, the City recorded 21 cases of rash fever suspected of measles (2 cases of measles confirmed by laboratory testing, 17 cases of clinically suspected measles and 2 cases excluded from measles), with 13/22 districts and cities having cases of rash fever suspected of measles.

The total number of cumulative cases of suspected measles rash fever recorded to date is 1,360 (572 laboratory-confirmed measles cases, 511 clinically suspected measles cases and 277 cases excluded from measles). Districts with high cumulative cases of suspected measles rash fever include: Binh Chanh (293 cases), Binh Tan (258 cases) and Thu Duc City (133 cases).

Health experts say measles is considered a global threat because the measles virus of the Paramyxoviridae family spreads rapidly through the respiratory tract from sick people to healthy people in the community or even across borders.

Measles is dangerous because it not only causes acute symptoms but also puts patients at risk of nervous system infections, motor system disorders, damage to multiple organs in the body, and can leave many serious, long-lasting or even lifelong complications for patients such as encephalitis, meningitis, otitis media, pneumonia, diarrhea, corneal ulcers, blindness, etc.

In addition, measles is especially dangerous because it has the ability to erase immune memory, destroying an average of about 40 types of antibodies that can fight pathogens.

In children, a 2019 study by geneticist Stephen Elledge at Harvard University showed that measles eliminates between 11% and 73% of protective antibodies in children.

That is, when infected with measles, the patient's immune system will be destroyed and reset to its original, immature, and incomplete state like that of a newborn child.

To reduce the risk and prevent a resurgence of measles, WHO emphasizes that vaccination is the only way to protect children and adults from this potentially dangerous disease. Countries around the world are required to achieve and maintain a coverage rate of over 95% with 2 doses of measles vaccine.

Doctor Bui Thi Viet Hoa, Safpo/Potec vaccination system, said that children and adults need to proactively get vaccinated against measles fully and on schedule to help the body produce specific antibodies against the measles virus, helping to prevent the risk of measles and severe complications, with outstanding effectiveness of up to 98%.

In addition, according to Dr. Viet Hoa, each person needs to proactively clean their eyes, nose, and throat with antiseptic solution every day. Limit gathering in crowded places, avoid close contact with people showing signs of measles or suspected of having the disease, and do not share personal items with people with the disease. Keep your living space clean and supplement foods to help strengthen the immune system.

If you experience symptoms of measles (fever, runny nose, dry cough, red eyes, sensitivity to light, rash all over the body), you should quickly go to the nearest medical center or facility for timely examination and treatment.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/tphcm-van-con-quan-huyen-chua-dat-ty-le-tiem-vac-xin-soi-d227392.html