The 53-year-old male patient began showing symptoms on July 16, including a high fever of 39°C, headache, fatigue, and purplish rashes on his face, ears, abdomen, and chest.

On July 21, he was admitted to Bach Mai Hospital in critical condition with respiratory distress and widespread skin discoloration. Despite intensive care, his condition worsened, and he was discharged at his family’s request. He passed away shortly after.

Test results confirmed he was positive for Streptococcus suis, a dangerous bacterial infection often linked to raw or undercooked pork.

The man had a history of consuming tiết canh (raw pig blood pudding) in Quynh An commune, Hung Yen province, an area connected to two other suspected cases also treated at Bach Mai Hospital in July.

In response to the situation, the Ministry of Health has issued an urgent directive to the Hung Yen Department of Health, calling for a thorough epidemiological investigation and complete containment of the outbreak per medical guidelines.

It also instructs healthcare facilities to strengthen surveillance, particularly in patients showing unusual symptoms or with a history of contact with pigs or pig products.

Suspected cases must be tested promptly, diagnosed early, and treated in a timely manner to minimise the risk of death. All cases should be reported to the CDC for investigation, outbreak containment, and prevention of community transmission.

As of July 2025, Hanoi has recorded a total of 7 cases of Streptococcus suis infection, including 1 fatality, on par with the same period in 2024.

To prevent the spread of Streptococcus suis, the Ministry of Health requested that people not consume raw pig blood pudding or undercooked pork products, avoid slaughtering or eating meat from sick or dead pigs, purchase pork from vendors with proper veterinary inspection certificates.

People who experience sudden high fever, fatigue, and other symptoms, especially if they have consumed undercooked pork or had direct contact with pigs, should seek immediate medical attention to avoid life-threatening complications.

Hue scrambles to stamp out Streptococcus Suis outbreak

VOV.VN - The central city of Hue is taking bold measures in an effort to stamp out an outbreak of Streptococcus Suis, a dangerous bacterial disease transmitted from pigs, leading to 12 new human infections, including a fatality, since late June.