Tran Hien Khoa, director of the provincial Centre for Disease Control, told Dantri/Dtinews Newspaper on October 30 that the two deaths occurred in Song Doc Commune. One patient was confirmed to have died from meningococcal disease, while the other was suspected of having the infection.
Illustrative image of the shape of meningococcal bacteria (Photo: WHO).
The confirmed case involved a 46-year-old woman who developed symptoms on October 20 and died on October 23. Initial epidemiological investigations identified more than 20 people who had been in close contact with her.
They have been given preventive antibiotics and are being monitored for 10 days. All are currently in stable health, authorities said.
The second case involved a 33-year-old woman who fell ill on October 25 and died on October 28. She was admitted to hospital with a fever and a rash across her body, and doctors suspected meningococcal disease.
Initial investigations found that she had also been in contact with several people. Khoa said laboratory results had not yet confirmed whether she had the disease.
Neither woman had been vaccinated against the infection or travelled outside the locality in the two weeks before falling ill, according to epidemiological investigations.
Authorities are tracing the source of infection. Khoa said the people linked to the deceased patients were all in stable health.
Local authorities have worked with health stations to disinfect the environment, spray disinfectants and closely monitor households linked to the cases and their contacts. Residents have also been advised on how the disease spreads and how to prevent infection.
Since the beginning of this year, Ca Mau has recorded two deaths from confirmed meningococcal disease and one suspected case.
The provincial Centre for Disease Control said the disease is transmitted mainly through respiratory droplets during close contact with people carrying the bacteria or those who are infected.
In HCM City, a cluster of four cases of meningococcal disease caused by group B bacteria was detected at Hai Ba Trung Secondary School in Hiep Phuoc Commune between October 14 and 17. One child died, while the other three patients were treated at the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases and are now in stable condition.
