The Ministry of Health said on October 17 that three cases of meningococcal infection had been recorded at Hai Ba Trung Secondary School in Hiep Phuoc Commune between October 14 and 16.
All three patients were born in 2014.
The first student developed a headache on October 12, followed by fever and a rash two days later. The illness rapidly progressed to septic shock and multiple organ failure, causing death on October 14 at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
The second student, a close contact, was hospitalised on October 14 and is now stable. The third was admitted the next day and remains in isolation. Both tested positive for meningococcal bacteria.
Following the outbreak, the Ministry of Health instructed local health authorities and the HCM City Pasteur Institute to strengthen surveillance, identify close contacts and contain further transmission.
Close contacts at the school and in affected households are being monitored for 10 days, with testing and preventive antibiotics provided where medically indicated.
Authorities warned against self-medicating with antibiotics and ordered hospitals to maintain strict isolation and infection control procedures.
The school has also stepped up cleaning, disinfection and classroom ventilation.
Health officials said meningococcal infection can cause severe illness and death but can be controlled through early detection and prompt treatment.
People experiencing high fever, headache, nausea, a stiff neck or a haemorrhagic rash were urged to seek immediate medical attention.
Residents were also advised to practise good personal hygiene, wash their hands regularly, wear masks in public places, avoid close contact with infected people and improve indoor ventilation.
The Ministry of Health said it would continue monitoring the outbreak and providing updates as necessary.
