According to the Hanoi Department of Health, in the first quarter of this year, the city recorded 1,453 measles cases across all 30 districts, including one fatality. This marks a considerable increase against the same period of last year, when no cases were reported.
Around 60 percent of the measles patients in Hanoi in the first three months are aged under six, 91 percent of either unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated with two doses of the measles vaccine.
A measles case in Hanoi (Photo by Thanh Dong)
Some districts reported high case numbers, including Hoang Mai, Nam Tu Liem, Ha Dong, Thanh Tri, Dong Da, Tay Ho, and Hoan Kiem.
Hospitals in Hanoi have also witnessed a rising number of adult measles patients with severe complications. According to Do Duy Cuong, Director of the Institute of Tropical Medicine at Bach Mai Hospital, the hospital has received 10-20 measles cases per day since late 2024 with many being adults suffering from serious conditions like pneumonia, respiratory failure, and encephalitis.
Hand, foot and mouth disease outbreaks at schools
Between January and March this year, Hanoi saw 785 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, nearly double the number from the same period last year. From March 28 to April 4 alone, 203 new cases were recorded in 25 districts, with multiple outbreaks in schools and communities.
Over the past week, Hanoi has reported four new outbreaks, bringing the total number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases this year to 12. Six of these outbreaks are currently active in the districts of Nam Tu Liem, Ha Dong, and Dong Da.
Seasonal flu remains complicated
From January to March, Hanoi reported 4,267 cases of seasonal flu, a 1.5-fold increase compared to the same period last year. The cases are spreading across all districts.
Seasonal flu is highly contagious and often causes outbreaks. For those with weakened immune systems, it can lead to complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, and multi-organ damage.
Amid the risk of overlapping outbreaks, Hanoi has instructed local health centers to prioritise measles vaccinations for children aged 6 to 9 months and 1 to 10 years who are not fully vaccinated.
