Phu announced the figures at an urgent meeting held by the Ministry of Health on measures to control the spreading dengue fever epidemic on August 10.
Dengue fever patients being treated in Hanoi.
Dengue fever patient numbers have increased by 33.5% on last year, Phu noted.
Since the early this year, Hanoi has reported nearly 14,000 dengue fever patients, including seven deaths, just behind HCM City with 16,500 cases.
The Preventive Medicine Department highlighted that the main cause of the spread of dengue fever is the early arrival of summer this year with higher temperatures and rainfall than in previous years. Public awareness about disease prevention has remained modest.
At the meeting, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien expressed concern at the rising trend of dengue fever in Hanoi despite drastic efforts made by the health sector.
“Why are only 10-15% of dengue fever patients hospitalised, but many big hospitals in Hanoi and HCM City are facing overcrowding. At many hospitals, patients and their relatives even have to lie down in corridors and halls,” the minister questioned.
Director of the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Nguyen Van Kinh, said many patients have come to the hospital for check-ups three to four times, which had contributed to the problem.
Kinh forecast that the hospital’s dengue fever patient numbers may double this week.
Sharing the same opinion with Kinh, deputy director of Saint Paul Hospital Nguyen Van Thuong said that his hospital is providing treatment for 117 dengue fever patients, which is really an overload.
Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien (middle) at the meeting on dengue fever control on August 10.
Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien advised dengue fever patients to come to the nearest medical centres for medical check-ups and treatment following doctors’ instructions, instead of trying to flock to big hospitals as this had fuelled the infection among patients. Patients should be hospitalised in only very necessary cases.
Hanoi now has 135 mosquito-killing chemical teams and the number will be raised, particularly at high-risk areas, the minister instructed, adding that it is necessary for Hanoi to borrow mosquito-killing chemical spraying machines from other localities such as Hoa Binh, Yen Bai and Son La.
The chemical spraying should be focused at schools, hospitals and construction sites first and Hanoi needs to have more equipment for the work.
