Localities on full alert as hand-foot-mouth disease breaks out
VOV.VN - The Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued an urgent dispatch detailing prevention and control measures for the hand-foot-mouth disease in an attempt to slow the spread of the disease as case numbers nationwide have increased by four times compared to the same period from last year.
Since the beginning of the year, a total of 17,451 infections have been reported nationwide, in addition to four deaths in the southern provinces of Kien Giang, An Giang and Long An.
The number of infections has quadrupled, warned the MoH adding the surge mainly occurred in the southern region, including Dong Nai, Long An, Dong Thap, An Giang and Ho Chi Minh City.
It is common for cases of the hand-foot-mouth disease to increase in numbers between April and May and between September and October. Indeed, children can be infected with the disease when their personal hygiene and environmental sanitation conditions are not maintained.
The MoH therefore urged localities to strengthen preventive measures this summer, including encouraging people, especially children, to wash hands with soap and keep the living environment clean.
Healthcare facilities were required to avoid disease cross-transmissions and limit the number of deaths.
