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Measles spreading to 43 cities, provinces
  • | dtinews.vn, TP | February 20, 2019 07:35 AM
Measles has hit up to 43 cities and provinces nationwide, mostly in the southern region.

According to the Hanoi Department of Health, so far this year, the city has recorded 192 measles cases, including 22 in February. 

  

Measles has hit up to 43 cities and provinces nationwide

Hoang Duc Hanh, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Health, measles patients have tended to be on the rise not only in Hanoi but also nationwide. This has been partially attributed to low coverage of measles vaccination in many localities.

At present, lots of wards in Hanoi have still seen the low measles vaccination rate such as Doi Can in Ba Dinh District with just 64.1%, Hoang Liet in Hoang Mai District with 82.6% and many in Dong Da District with below 95%.

The majority of measles patients are in the southern region. Up to 90% of measles cases have not yet given vaccinations against the disease.

In the southern region, measles can occur at any time of the year, especially in months with rain and cool weather.

The HCM City Preventive Health Centre has warned parents with children born from 2014 to 2017 to get vaccinated against measles, which follows the Ministry of Health’s national campaign on vaccination, which started in early January.

Associate Prof. Dr. Tran Minh Dien, deputy director of the National Hospital of Paediatrics, the hospital has set up a system specialised on measles treatment. Patients who are suspected to have contracted the disease will be taken to a separate room for medical check-ups. Rooms dedicated to the treatment have also arranged. The hospital has used separate medical equipment for these patients to avoid cross-contamination.

In 2014, a measles epidemic boomed in Hanoi with a record-breaking 1,700 cases, including 14 fatalities.

In 2016, Vietnam was the fourth country in Asia after Japan, India and China to successfully produce a measles-rubella vaccine on its own.

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