Chilly weather in northern Vietnam has driven many elderly people and kids into hospitals while temperature in the south also decreased because the cold weather in the north has affected the south.

Many elderly people, kids hospitalized due to cold weather

The National Children Hospital in Hanoi has seen a flock of kids these days; accordingly, some departments were overloaded. Most of kids were ill because of bad weather. They have respiratory problem, bronchitis, and pneumonia.

Hospital Deputy Director Professor Tran Minh Dien said the hospital admits and examined over 2,000 kids a day fretting that the number of kids will surge in such bad weather.

Meantime, the Children Department of Bach Mai Hospital and Saint Paul Hospital have seen an increase in hospitalization of kids who suffer weather-related diseases 10% so với trước.

Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces are also affected by cold weather with temperature below 20 degree Celsius. Moreover, many infants are driven into hospitals because of a big gap in average temperatures between day and night.

Infirmaries in the city received more kids who have respiratory diseases and ear-nose-throat infection on December 21. For instance, the Children Hospital No.1 admits 240-250 a day averagely while its counterpart, the Children Hospital No.2 receives nearly 500 toddlers.

Dangers from the cold is high for the elderly especially those at old age. Senior people with heart disease, high blood pressure, respiratory problems leaped drastically in Hanoi-based hospitals namely Bach Mai, Heart Institute, and the National Geriatric Hospital. The second heart hospital admitted around 1,000 heart patients within three days and most of them are senior people.

In Ho Chi Minh City, more old people having cough, leg pain, and fatigue are taken to medical clinics. Nguyen Tri Phuong hospital in district 5 admits more old people with pain in the muscles and joints, skin disease and respiratory problems.

Medical experts advised parents to keep their kids warm and provide them with nutritious meals to strengthen their resistance; moreover, they should keep children’s personal hygiene.

Additionally, kids exposing to cold weather are likely to have diarrhea and fever due to virus. Head of Respiratory Department of the Children Hospital No.1 Tran Anh Tuan said that cold weather is conducive to virus development. Medical workers advised to take children to see doctor rather than buying medicines by themselves.

Meanwhile, physicians said elderly people should wear socks to keep them warm when outside for exercise.

SGGP