Hanoi records second case of meningococcal disease

The Hanoi Department of Health reported on October 28 that the city had just recorded a 6-month-old boy in Hoan Kiem District infected with meningococcal disease. This is the second case in 2024.

The patient had a history of not being vaccinated against meningococcal disease. The disease started on October 17 with symptoms of high fever, vomiting, and a rash with small dots all over the body.

The child was then taken to the National Children's Hospital with a bulging fontanel. Multiplex PCR test of the cerebrospinal fluid showed the patient was positive for meningococcus.

Since the beginning of 2024, Hanoi has recorded 2 cases of meningococcal disease. Previously, the first case of meningococcal disease in 2024 was a male patient (22 years old, in Son Tay town).

According to medical experts, meningococcal disease is one of the 10 infectious diseases with the highest mortality rate in Vietnam, with cases recorded each year. This is an acute bacterial infection caused by the meningococcal bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, with about 50% of cases in the form of meningitis, 38% showing bacteremia and 9% being bacterial pneumonia.

This type of bacteria usually resides on the mucosal surface of the pharynx and is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory secretions from sick people and healthy carriers. The mortality rate from meningococcal meningitis is from 10-15% and about 20% of people have long-term sequelae.

Symptoms of meningococcal meningitis usually appear suddenly and are quite severe: fever, headache, muscle aches, stiff neck, cough, sore throat, chills, shivering, convulsions, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

For young children, there are some signs that come from changes in daily routine such as lethargy, picky eating, refusing to breastfeed, loss of playfulness, rashes, etc.

To prevent meningococcal disease, people should practice good personal hygiene and living conditions; wear masks when in contact with or caring for sick people and take preventive medicine. In particular, the most important thing is to get vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis to prevent the disease. Not only children but also adults need to get vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis. The Hanoi Department of Health recommends that people proactively get vaccinated fully and on schedule according to the instructions of the health sector.

The Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC) said that from October 18 to 25, the city recorded 502 cases of dengue fever, 7 cases of measles, 40 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease and 2 cases of whooping cough. Other diseases such as tetanus, streptococcus suis, Japanese encephalitis and rubella recorded no cases.

According to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control, the number of dengue fever and measles cases is on the rise.