Most children are aged one to five and show mild symptoms, though some have underlying conditions.
An 8-month-old child had a persistent high fever that didn't go down even with medication, and then developed a rash on the back of her neck. Her condition greatly improved following two-day treatment at Children's Hospital 2.
A 17-month-old boy from Nha Be District remains hospitalised after five days of treatment. He was initially admitted to a local hospital with a high fever and seizures, then transferred to Children's Hospital 2 due to his worsening condition.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is an acute viral infection caused by enteroviruses, transmitted via the gastrointestinal route. It primarily affects children under five and can potentially spark widespread outbreaks.
According to the HCM City Centre for Disease Control (HCDC), the city has recorded 6,711 cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease, up 49 per cent from the same period last year (4,510 cases). Of these, 967 required hospitalisation, a 15 per cent rise on-year.
The hospital's Infectious Diseases Department receives an average of 20 children with hand, foot, and mouth disease per day. To reduce cross-infection, patients are arranged in five to six separate rooms.
Doctor Nguyen Ngoc Luu from the Infectious Diseases Department said that hand, foot and mouth disease follow a yearly pattern, with peak outbreaks typically occurring from April to June and again from September to November.
Luu advises parents to watch for their children's symptoms, such as mouth pain, loss of appetite, excessive drooling, refusal to eat, or rashes on the hands or feet. Although mild cases can be treated at home, he noted that the disease can worsen quickly within hours, so constant vigilance is necessary
