Thousands given diphtheria medicines in Dak Lak

Over 1,000 people in Dak Lak Province have been given medicines against diphtheria after a five-year-old child died in the area.

Over 1,000 people in Dak Lak Province have been given medicines against diphtheria after a five-year-old child died in the area.

   

Over 1,000 people given medicines against diphtheria

Pham Van Lao, director of the Preventive Medicine Centre in Dak Lak said dozens of people had been quarantined and tested after a five-year-old child died of diphtheria. Besides three cases that are already tested positive, the rest are negative results. Three patients that tested positive are being treated at the hospital. The health sector has also sprayed disinfectant and carried out preventive measures.

"The health sector has given preventive medicines to 1,000 people that live near the patients and is working with the local authorities in order to vaccinate 7,000 people in H'ring Village," Lao said.

The provincial health department quickly imported 10,000 special medicines to prevent diphtheria and warned people from entering quarantined areas. The authorities will continue monitoring the situation to quickly detected the symptoms.

On August 29, five-year-old H'Si Yan, from Xe Dang ethnic group, was admitted to the Central Highland General Hospital. At night, she had respiratory failure and was diagnosed with laryngeal diphtheria. On August 31, she was released and died on the way home.

Diphtheria is very infectious and can be passed on easily between people. The overall case-fatality rate for diphtheria is 5%-10%.