Two more fatal cases of measles reported

14:22, 2014/04/20

An additional 116 patients were infected with measles virus and two more died of the infectious disease on April 19, according to the Ministry of Health.

Since the beginning of the year, 3,360 people in 61 provinces and cities nationwide have contracted the disease, resulting in 27 fatalities.

Notably, the number of cross infections in hospital is increasing, with 82 cases confirmed at the Hanoi-based Central Pediatrics Hospital over the past three days.

On April 19 alone, 10 child patients were transferred to the Infectious Department for treatment after blood samples showed they were carrying the virus from measles patients nearby.

Currently, 17 measles patients are using respirators at the hospital.
The Health Ministry insists vaccination is the most effective measure to help prevent the spread of the deadly disease among children. The vaccination rate in March and April was estimated at 57.46%.

A delegation from the Health Ministry led by Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and Deputy Ministers Nguyen Thanh Long and Le Quang Cuong inspected measles treatment at Thach That, Saint Paul hospitals in Hanoi, pediatrics hospitals No1 and No2 and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCM City.

Free vaccination in Hanoi

As of April 20 the Hanoi Preventive Medicine Department began providing free measles vaccination for children under 6 years old.

The capital city is taking the lead in the number of measles infections in Vietnam, accounting for 30% of the country’s total figure and 50% of deaths caused by the disease.

Nguyen Nhat Cam, Director of the Hanoi Preventive Medicine Department, said that the disease is now at its peak in Hanoi.

Authorities are doing all they can to control the outbreak, but incidences of the disease are still at a high level, he said.

The city is intensifying tough measures against measles and is expected to put the disease under control by the end of this month.

However, Cam expressed concerns about a possible shortage of measles vaccine due to the rising demand these days.

Since January 2014, as many as 1,222 people in Hanoi have been diagnosed with measles. On average the city’s hospitals have received between 20-22 measles patients every day for the past week.

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