Flu cases exceed 130,000 in Vietnam with 3 fatalities
VOV.VN - Since the beginning of 2025, Vietnam has recorded more than 132,000 seasonal flu cases, including three deaths, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The number of infections fell by 54.8%, while fatalities decreased by three cases compared to the same period in 2024, said the MoH.
Notably, acute respiratory infections have been on the rise over the past three months, with 8,500–11,000 cases reported monthly. In recent weeks, many schools across Hanoi have seen a surge in students taking sick leave due to fever, cough, and respiratory infections, most linked to influenza A.
Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that seasonal flu affects around 1 billion people each year, causing 290,000–650,000 deaths. In Vietnam, the country reports an annual average of 300,000–500,000 acute respiratory infections.
The MoH reported that the main influenza strains currently circulating in Vietnam are A(H1N1), A(H3N2) and influenza B, with no changes in viral virulence detected.
Health authorities warned that the autumn–winter transition brings fluctuating temperatures and humidity, creating favourable conditions for respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), to spread.
This period also coincides with increased travel, social gatherings, and year-end events, raising the risk of virus transmission in crowded public spaces and households, particularly affecting children and the elderly.
Hospitals, especially in northern Vietnam, have reported a surge in flu cases, RSV, and hand-foot-and-mouth disease requiring hospitalization. In Hanoi, influenza A cases among children have risen sharply. Since early October, the National Children’s Hospital has recorded over 3,700 pediatric flu visits, nearly 500 of which required hospitalization, with some cases developing complications such as pneumonia, otitis media, or seizures due to high fever.
According to Dr. Dao Huu Than, head of the Infectious Disease Prevention Department at the Hanoi Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), current seasonal flu vaccines have been proven to be safe and highly effective. He recommended that parents have their children vaccinated as soon as possible, especially those aged 6 months to under 5 years, as well as individuals with chronic conditions, to help prevent severe complications.
More people get vaccinated as flu outbreaks occur in regions
VOV.VN - Recent complex information about seasonal flu outbreaks in Japan and several Southeast Asian countries has prompted many people to seek out flu vaccinations.
