Hanoi hospital records rising hand-foot-mouth cases
A 2-year-old was hospitalised after four days showing rash and an 8-month-old child was also hospitalised after four days struggling with nausea and diarrhoea. Their parents found the rash while changing their clothes and nappies.
Nguyen Van Lam, director of the Centre Of Tropical Diseases said hand-foot-mouth disease caused by viruses from the Enterovirus genus, most commonly the coxsackievirus. It can spread from person-to-person through contact with an infected person's saliva, stool, or respiratory secretions. Small outbreaks can occur all year round, especially with children under five years old.
The hospital is receiving 30-50 patients each day, most of them are from Hanoi.
Even though it spreads quickly, it has clear and recognisable symptoms such as high fever with rash around the mouths, hands and feet. The patients' toys, clothes and living environment should be cleaned with disinfectant and the child shouldn't go to kindergarten.
According to the Ministry of Health, the number of hand-foot-mouth cases has decreased compared to the previous year but small outbreaks have been detected in big cities like Hanoi, Danang and HCM City.
Since early 2020, Vietnam had 10,745 cases in 63 cities and provinces, of which 6,662 cases were hospitalised with no fatalities. The number of cases decreased by 56% and the number of hospitalised cases decreased by 51% compared to the same period last year.
The cities and provinces that have reported rising hand-foot-mouth cases in the past weeks are Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Quang Ngai, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Danang and HCM City.
