The Vietnamese Ministry of Health said the southern region accounted for 18,031 infections, or nearly 72 per cent of the total. Children under 10 represented 99.3 per cent of cases, with the highest incidence among those aged one to five.
Hand foot and mouth disease spreads via the digestive tract and circulates year-round, typically peaking between March and May and again from September to October.
The Preventive Medicine Department Vietnam on March 27 urged local authorities to intensify public awareness campaigns, promote hygiene practices and strengthen surveillance to curb transmission.
Schools and childcare centres have been advised to enforce strict hygiene standards, including regular cleaning of classrooms, surfaces and toys, alongside handwashing and safe food practices.
The health sector has also been instructed to improve early detection and outbreak control, enhance treatment capacity and reduce severe cases and fatalities, while preventing cross-infection in healthcare facilities.
Vietnam also recorded 31,927 dengue cases and four deaths between January and March, more than double the number of infections reported a year earlier.
Dengue fever cases were highest in Ho Chi Minh City, followed by Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, An Giang, Can Tho and Vinh Long, with infections expected to rise further during the peak season from May to November.
Authorities have called for stronger monitoring, early outbreak response and public awareness, alongside efforts to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and ensure adequate medical resources.
