VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 5,000 new cases of the hand-foot-mouth disease were reported over the last week, raising the total number of cases to more than 76,120 this year, the Preventive Medicine Administration announced on Sunday.

Photo: SGGP
As of October 23, 135 fatalities had been reported nationwide.

Over the last few weeks, the number of incidents has increased significantly, with an average of 2,000-2,500 new cases reported each week.

HCM City and the provinces of Binh Duong, Long An and Quang Ngai were among the localities with the highest number of new incidents last week.

In HCM City alone, 28 deaths due to the hand-foot -mouth disease were confirmed, including one death last week.

Dr. Tran Phu Manh Sieu, director of the HCM City Preventive Medicine Centre, said that September and October were the peak months for the disease.

Although the number of incidents increased in several localities, HCM City saw a decline in the number of new infections.

An average of 300 new cases were reported each week in September and October, compared with more than 500 cases per week in July.

Low awareness about the disease among the community has also contributed to the spread of the disease nationwide.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News