HCMC: Dengue fever and Covid-19 cases decrease, hand, foot and mouth disease increases rapidly

SGGPO June 1, 2023 14:34

On June 1, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) said that last week (from May 22 to May 28), the number of dengue fever and Covid-19 cases decreased, while hand, foot and mouth disease increased rapidly.

Authorities monitor dengue fever risk points in Can Gio district

Specifically, last week, the city recorded 152 cases of dengue fever, down 8.6% compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks, the number of inpatients decreased by 2.5% and the number of outpatients decreased by 13.1%. Since the beginning of the year, the city has recorded 7,584 cases of dengue fever, down 19.7% compared to the same period in 2022 (9,439 cases), with no deaths recorded.

However, hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has increased, with 157 cases in the week, an increase of 47.1% compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks (107 cases). Of which, the number of cases increased in both inpatients and outpatients compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks. The cumulative number of cases since the beginning of the year is 1,670 cases.

Last week, the city recorded 231 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, announced by the Ministry of Health , a decrease of 55% compared to week 20 (516 cases). From the beginning of the year to May 28, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 4,858 confirmed cases.

According to HCDC, last week, through monitoring dengue fever risk points, HCDC discovered 10/16 points with mosquito larvae (in districts 1, 8, 11 and Nha Be district). The unit worked with the People's Committees of relevant wards and communes to handle the situation and report to the Department of Health to inform the People's Committees of districts and towns to direct, inspect and supervise dengue fever prevention activities in the area.

In response to the 13th ASEAN Dengue Prevention and Control Day, this week, the People's Committees of districts and Thu Duc City will launch a campaign; HCDC continues to strengthen monitoring of risk points and dengue prevention and control activities in localities.

On the same day, HCDC announced that the first phase of the 2023 high-dose Vitamin A supplementation campaign for children aged 6 months to 35 months in Ho Chi Minh City will be implemented on June 8 and 9 and will be completed before June 18. In addition, the campaign will also be implemented for children aged 6 months to 59 months at risk of Vitamin A deficiency.

Specifically, children from 6 months to 59 months old are counted from when they turn 6 months to 59 months and 29 days old; children from 6 months to 35 months old are counted from when they turn 6 months to 35 months and 29 days old; children from 6 months to 11 months old are counted from when they turn 6 months to 11 months and 29 days old. Parents with children in the above age group should take their children to take high-dose vitamin A supplements at locations such as: health stations, schools, hospitals, centers with pediatric departments or some drinking points in wards and communes that are suitable and convenient for parents in the city.

According to HCDC, children at risk of vitamin A deficiency are those with one of the following conditions: prolonged diarrhea, respiratory infections, measles, severe malnutrition. Vitamin A is a micronutrient that plays an important role in the health and overall development of children. Every year, children will be given high doses of vitamin A according to a nationwide campaign (there are 2 rounds each year: round 1 in June and round 2 in December).

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