Children need to be fully vaccinated to prevent measles. Photo: TTXVN
According to the Hanoi Department of Health, Hanoi has just recorded 1 case of measles, also the first case of measles in 2024.
This measles case is a 10-year-old child (in Tien Phuong, Chuong My, Hanoi). The patient’s illness started on March 27, and on April 12, the test result was positive for measles.
Previously, this patient had been vaccinated with 3 doses of measles vaccine.
This year, Hanoi recorded measles cases earlier. During the same period in 2023, the city did not have any measles cases.
According to the outbreak cycle, it is predicted that a measles epidemic may occur in 2024. Commenting on this, Mr. Khong Minh Tuan, Deputy Director of CDC Hanoi, said: “Because the recent measles vaccination rate has reached a high rate, the risk of measles epidemic is predicted to be there, but not great. In 2023, we also monitored many cases of measles and did not spread widely. However, in some areas, measles cases were still recorded, so we cannot be subjective with measles”.
Accordingly, with measles, vaccination is an effective measure to reduce the risk of infection and reduce serious complications. Children receive the first injection when they are 9 months old; 2nd injection when child is 15-18 months old; periodically, about 3 years later, children can be vaccinated again to ensure disease prevention immunity
“For children who are past the age of vaccination against measles, when there is an epidemic that requires vaccination, it will be prescribed, and the vaccination needs to be prescribed by a medical staff,” said Mr. Khong Minh Tuan.
Besides the measles case, last week, Hanoi also recorded another case of whooping cough, in Thanh Xuan. Thus, from the beginning of 2024 until now, Hanoi has recorded 46 cases of whooping cough, in 20 districts; The number of cases increased compared to the same period in 2023. The majority of cases are children under 2 months old (accounting for 52.2%), the proportion of unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated children accounts for 70% of cases. .
Regarding the dengue fever epidemic, in the past week, Hanoi also recorded 7 more cases; decreased 6 cases compared to last week; During the week, no new outbreaks were recorded. From the beginning of 2024 until now, Hanoi has recorded 576 cases of dengue fever, an increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Facing the situation of continuing to record cases, Hanoi continues to strengthen monitoring and early detection of outbreaks and clusters of hand, foot and mouth disease cases, especially in preschools and primary schools. Carry out environmental sanitation and disinfect rooms at preschools and kindergartens when there are cases or outbreaks. In addition, the health sector also strengthens medical quarantine work at Noi Bai International Airport to early detect cases and suspected infectious diseases for timely treatment.