Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Surging in Vietnam HCMC

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), a contagious viral illness, is spreading in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s biggest economic hub, with the number of hospitalized patients in the recent week rising over 30% from the average of the four preceding weeks, according to health authorities. A total of 4,559 people, most of whom are children, were hospitalized in Ho Chi Minh City from early this year to September 4 for treatment for HFMD, equal to 100-150 cases per week, the municipal Preventive Health Center said. In the week from August 28 to September 4, the number of hospitalized patients soared to 191, or 32% higher than the average of the four previous weeks, the center added. Dr. Pham Ngoc Thach, deputy head of the General Planning Department of Children’s Hospital 2, said the infirmary received 1,237 HFMD patients year to September 9. HFMD can happen around the year, but it usually peaks in the March-May and September-November periods yearly, said Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, head of the hospital’s infectious disease department. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH), the illness is characterized by a fever and rash most frequently seen on the palms, soles, and inside the mouth. The disease can be transmitted through digestive tracts and children under five years old are most vulnerable. As there are no vaccines or specific medicines to cure the disease, the main preventive measure is following hygienic practices in eating, drinking, and living, the ministry advised. (Vietnamnet.vn Sept 12, Thanh Nien – Young People Sept 11, Tuoi Tre – Youth Sept 10, Vtv.Vn Sept 12)