Closely monitor to prevent measles outbreaks in the community.

Since the beginning of 2024, the number of measles cases has increased more than 8 times compared to the same period in 2023 and tends to increase in some localities.

Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has recorded more than 2,000 cases, of which more than 500 cases have been recorded in Ho Chi Minh City.

On August 27, Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee officially announced a measles epidemic, a group B infectious disease.

Monitor and recommend effective disease prevention measures

To strengthen epidemic prevention and control work, and prevent measles from spreading and breaking out in the community, the Ministry of Health has sent a document to the People's Committees of provinces and cities on strengthening the implementation of measles prevention and control work.

The Ministry of Health requests the People's Committees of provinces and cities to pay attention to directing units and localities to organize the implementation of Official Dispatch No. 4847/BYT-DP dated August 19, 2024 of the Ministry of Health on proactively implementing epidemic prevention during the school year; Official Dispatch No. 4992/BYT-DP dated August 23, 2024 on implementing measles vaccination and recommendations and instructions on measles prevention.

The People's Committees of provinces and cities directed the Department of Health and local authorities to continue to closely monitor the development of the epidemic situation; proactively monitor, promptly detect and thoroughly handle outbreaks; regularly assess risks, analyze the situation and propose timely and effective treatment measures.

At the same time, proactively coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring localities to share and update information on the epidemic situation, synchronously deploy epidemic prevention and control measures, not allowing the epidemic to spread and break out in the area; continue to promote vaccination to prevent and control measles.

In addition, the People's Committees of provinces and cities directed the local media to coordinate with the health sector to regularly update information on the epidemic situation so that people can proactively take disease prevention measures and avoid panic and anxiety in public opinion; strengthen communication and propaganda to mobilize children to get vaccinated fully and on schedule and recommend and guide the implementation of disease prevention measures, such as: limiting crowded gatherings; regularly washing hands with soap, wearing masks when going to crowded places and public places.

Vaccination is an effective measure to prevent disease.

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, measles is a group B infectious disease caused by the measles virus. The disease is common in children under 5 years old or can also occur in adults, due to not being vaccinated against measles or not being vaccinated enough.

There is currently no specific treatment for measles. It is easily spread through the respiratory tract through droplets of an infected person or through direct contact, through hands contaminated with the patient's secretions.

Crowded places such as public places, schools... have a very high risk of spreading measles. Measles epidemics usually occur in cycles of 3-5 years. Vaccination is an effective measure to prevent the disease. The disease can only be stopped when the immunity rate in the community reaches >95%.

Since the beginning of 2024, the Ministry of Health has had a plan to vaccinate and catch up on vaccines in the expanded immunization program, including measles. The target of this measles vaccination campaign is expanded to children from 1 to 10 years old, except for those who have received 2 doses of vaccine - different from the previous plan to vaccinate and catch up on vaccines only for children aged 9 months and 18 months.

People proactively take their children for vaccination

To prevent and control measles, the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health recommends that people proactively take children from 9 months to 2 years old who have not been vaccinated or have not received 2 doses of measles vaccine to get fully vaccinated on schedule.

Do not let children come near or come into contact with children suspected of having measles. Wash your hands frequently with soap when caring for children.

Keep your child's body, nose, throat, eyes and mouth clean every day. Make sure your house and toilet are clean and well-ventilated. Improve your child's nutrition.

Nursery schools, kindergartens, and schools where children gather must be kept clean and airy; toys, learning tools, and classrooms must be regularly disinfected with common disinfectants.

When detecting signs of fever, cough, runny nose, rash, it is necessary to isolate the child early and take him/her to the nearest medical facility for examination and timely treatment advice. Do not take the child for unnecessary treatment to avoid hospital overload and cross-infection in the hospital.