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Nguyen Tan Phu, chief of the Children’s division of the General Hospital in Quang Ngai province, announced that two toddlers had died of the disease in the past two weeks.
Until now, 200 children have contracted the disease in the province. Since mid May, the hospital has received an average of 20 babies suffering from hand-foot-mouth disease each day.
Outbreak of the disease in Quang Ngai occurred in the beginning of May in children less than three years of age, caused by the recent unpredictable weather.
Since the last two weeks, the disease has spread rapidly in Quang Ngai, leading to an increasing number of children being hospitalized, resulting in a shortage of beds. All serious cases were rushed to the central hospital in Da Nang.
Meanwhile, three kids died in the Children’s Hospital in the southern province of Dong Nai between May 28-30, according to Dr. Nguyen Le da Ha, hospital director. Like previous years, May is the peak season for the disease.
This year, the hospital received over 30 cases a day. On May 31 alone, 98 children were hospitalized. The hospital reported the death of four toddlers due to HFMD.
Dr. Phu warned parents to take their children to nearby medical clinics of they discovered symptoms of the disease such as fever, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea and blister-like eruptions in the mouth or a skin rash on the palms and soles.
Viral meningitis causes fever, headache, stiff neck or back pain. The condition is usually mild and clears without treatment. Other much more serious diseases, such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain) or a polio-like paralysis, are rare. Encephalitis can be fatal.
At present, no specific medication or vaccine is available to protect against enteroviruses that cause HFMD, hence, the best way is for parents and teachers to advocate good personal hygiene and healthy nutrition. Sick children should quit school for treatment and not contact other healthy kids to prevent transmission.
Parents, teachers and medical workers should clean dirty surfaces and soiled items, including toys, with soap and water and disinfect them as well by cleaning with a chlorine bleach solution.
Infection spreads from person to person by direct contact with the infectious virus. Infectious virus is found in nose and throat secretion, saliva, blister fluid and stool of an infected person. The virus is often spread by persons with unwashed, virus-contaminated hands and by contact with a virus-contaminated surface.
Quang Ninh police bust 4 drug cases in 2 days
Police in a district in Quang Ninh Province busted four drug operations and arrested nine people in just two days.
Following a tip-off from the public, the Van Don District police raided room 305 at the Huyen Trang Hotel in Dong Xa commune May 31 and caught six people using synthetic drugs and watching pornography.
They seized methamphetamine and marijuana from the six, all of whom have previous convictions for various crimes.
At 3 pm the next day the police caught Ban Van Cau, 33, of Cam Pha town, with 12 bags of heroin that he was selling on the street.
An hour later they seized 35 hemp plants – from which marijuana is derived -- from a person in Ha Long commune.
At 9 pm that day Pham Quoc Khanh, 33, of Cai Rong town was arrested for selling a small quantity of drugs.
The police are investigating the four cases and trying to track down others involved.
The northern province has declared June as a “Month of Anti-Drug Action”.
Vietnam to welcome World Environment Day
Vietnam will hold various activities from June 4-6 in northern Bac Kan province to respond to World Environment Day (June 5) and International Forest Year 2011, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) Bui Cach Tuyen said.
The events, aimed at enhancing awareness of the need to protect the environment, forests and biodiversity, will include an exhibition on Vietnamese forests, a seminar on protection of submerged areas and biodiversity, artistic performances and the presentation of the Vietnam Environment Award, plus a ceremony to launch a national contest on composing songs about the environment, Tuyen added.
Especially on June 5, the Ba Be (three lakes) area in Bac Kan province will receive a UNESCO certificate of inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar), becoming Vietnam's third Ramsar site.
On the occasion, the Party, Government, ministry and local officials will also take part in various activities to respond to World Environment Day.
Scientists and businesses nationwide will propose and implement programmes and projects on environment protection, especially those relating to sustainable forest plantation and protection.
Similar activities in response to environment have been held in the central provinces of Nghe An and Quang Nam.
More money pumped to curb foot-and-mouth disease
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will allocate more than VND667 billion for implementation of the national programme on containing foot-and-mouth disease in the 2011-2015 period.
The programme will target eight northern border provinces, six southwestern border provinces, five central highland provinces, and 32 districts in a number of provinces bordering Laos.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requested local authorities to vaccinate at least 80 percent of their cattle, even up to 100 percent in some areas.
Up to now, no foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks have been detected elsewhere in the country.
Australian group seeks justice for AO victims
The Agent Orange Justice – Australia Vietnam Solidarity Network (AOJ) officially made its debut in Sydney on June 1 with the aim of supporting Vietnamese AO victims.
At the debut ceremony, AOJ launched a campaign to call for assistance to Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims and to urge US chemical companies to clean up the environment and compensate the victims in the Southeast Asian country.
John Percy, National Secretary of the Revolutionary Social Party, said that the war ended more than 35 years ago but many Vietnamese people are still suffering from the harmful effects of AO/dioxin sprayed by US troops.
Percy said AOJ is building a website at www.agentorangejustice.org.au to rally support for the victims and serve as a forum for everyone to better understand the harmful effects of this toxic chemical.
The Vietnamese Consul General in Sydney, Mai Phuoc Dung, spoke highly of AOJ’s initiative, promising to work closely with AOJ in the campaign to seek justice for AO/dioxin victims in Vietnam.
Vietnam, Mexico boost cooperation in acupuncture
Vietnam and Mexico have agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in health care, especially in community-based health care and detoxification treatment using acupuncture.
The two sides reached a consensus on the issue during a visit to Mexico of Prof. Nguyen Tai Thu, President of the Vietnam National Association of Acupuncture, from May 23 to June 1.
Thu, who is also General Director of the Vietnam Centre for Acupuncture Training and Application, held working sessions with Carlos Tena Tamayo, Head of the National Addiction Commission and leaders of Nuevo Lon and Zacatecas states. He was also received by Senator Alberto Anaya, Secretary General of the Mexican Workers’ Party.
At the meetings, both sides discussed issues related to the use of acupuncture for detoxification, Vietnam’s experience, and prospects for bilateral cooperation in detoxification as well as training and exchange of delegations.
They agreed to carry out a project to use acupuncture for detoxification in Monterrey city with the participation of Vietnamese experts, Mexican acupuncturists and representatives of relevant ministries and departments.
During the visit, Prof. Thu attended the inauguration of a detoxification centre for disabled children in Zacatecas state where he was conferred the “Honorary citizen” title by the local authorities and gave a lecture on acupuncture at the Alcocer Acupuncture Association in Mexico City.
Conference discusses int’l migration, data management for policy makers
A conference was held in Hanoi on June 1-2 to discuss international migration and database management for policy makers.
This is part of the project to compile documents and database on the migration of Vietnamese citizens to foreign countries.
The event was co-organized by the International Organization for Migration and the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Addressing the event, delegates emphasized the importance of migration to development and documents on migration to policy making to achieve sustainable development goals. They also acknowledged that Vietnam is the first nation in Asia to compile documents on migration.
Vietnam strengthen management of food quality
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a project to improve the quality of agro, forestry, and aquatic products, and salt in the 2011-2015 period.
The project is focused on food hygiene for domestic consumption and export,and securing the brand names of Vietnamese products.
Under the VND1,500-billion project, Vietnam will consolidate a system of state-run on quality management agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In the 2012-2014 period the focus will be on improving both product quality and food hygiene management; building a management information system and a national database about the quality of agro, forestry, and aquatic products, and salt; and developing services related to the consultancy, testing, and certification of high-quality products.
In the 2012-2015 period, Vietnam will also join up in ASEAN’s testing system.
Energy efficiency competitions launched nationwide
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced two national contests for effective use of energy and prizes for the best energy users.
The first prize is worth VND5 million in each of them, while the second and third prizes are worth VND4 million and VND3 million, respectively.
The Competition for Energy Saving Buildings and industrial facilities is open to all those that have operated for at least two years and consume at least 1 million kWh of power a year in case of buildings and 2 million kWh in case of industrial facilities.
The first prize in each of these two categories is worth VND3 million while there will also be a prize worth VND3 million for innovative energy management.
Buildings and industrial facilities account for half of the country's total energy consumption, said Phuong Hoang Kim, deputy head of the ministry's Science and Technology Department.
Journalists can register for a media award by sending in written, pictorial, audio, and other electronic entries related to the effective use of energy in buildings and industrial facilities.
House knocked down by drowsy barge driver
A sand barge ran off course in Vinh Long as its driver fell asleep, crashing into a house and sinking dozens of boats in early morning Tuesday.
Nguyen Thi Phung, a resident in My Hoa Commune, Binh Minh District, said she was preparing some food in the house when she saw a sand barge darting straight toward her house.
She frantically called her husband and, carrying her child in her hands, rushed outside just before the barge came crashing into her house.
“It would have been a real disaster if the barge had hit the house when my family was asleep,” she said.
Both the barge and its driver Nguyen Van Thanh, 31, from Soc Trang, were seized by Binh Minh district police.
Thanh confessed to the police that he had fallen asleep when the incident occurred.
The total loss was estimated to be VND200 million (US$10,000), the police said.
Former soccer star stabbed in Nha Trang hotel
Half-back Pham Hung Dung, former national soccer star and now captain of Thanh Nien Sai Gon team, was suddenly stabbed by a man in Glori hotel in Nha Trang coastal city province this early morning.
He is now treated in Khanh Hoa General Hospital.
The hotel’s safeguard said when Dung was checking out at the receptionist desk, an unknown man unexpectedly rushed forward to stab him two times in his right thigh and buttocks.
The man immediately fled the scene by a motorbike parked by his accomplice in front of the hotel.
Dung told police that he is not in conflict with anyone in Nha Trang and in his team as well.
His team [Thanh Nien Sai Gon] suffered a 0-2 loss over Lam Dong team in a semifinal match on Nha Trang stadium yesterday afternoon in Vietnam’s second-class football league. Dung was blamed for the second goal in late second half.
Earlier, former national billard player Le Dung used to suffered from multiple stabs when he together with his friends was eating out in Hanoi’s Dam market.
EU envoy: 680 mln euro ODA to Vietnam
The European Union (EU) remains one of Vietnam's leading providers of development assistance, with a total of 680 million EUR (972.3 million USD) in 2011.
That was confirmed by Sean Doyle, Ambassador-Head of Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, in Hanoi on June 2 at a ceremony to launch the Blue Book 2011, an annual report on EU development cooperation in Vietnam.
The Ambassador also said the EU would provide 15 million EUR to Vietnam in 2012 to help the country implement WTO commitments and trade negotiations, and help businesses solve problems on food safety and hygiene.
Also attending the ceremony, Lis Rosenholin, Danish Counselor, Vice Ambassador to Vietnam, said that from now to 2015, besides assisting poverty reduction in Vietnam, Denmark would also assist the private sector.
She added that Denmark would help Vietnam develop agriculture, assist Vietnamese small and medium enterprises and poor provinces to reach the market and raise competitiveness in a better environment.
The Blue Book 2011 provides a snapshot of development cooperation between the European Union and Vietnam, outlines its main development policies – primarily poverty eradication – and provides concrete data on EU disbursements and commitments in 2010.
The book includes a feature on Aid Effectiveness in the context of the Busan High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness scheduled for November 2011.
The event gives the opportunity for both the EU and Vietnam to take stock of progress achieved since the Paris Declaration and its local version, the Hanoi Core Statement, in the implementation of the Aid effectiveness agenda in Vietnam.
Aid effectiveness remains a priority, with Vietnam set to approve its new overall development framework this year, the Socio-Economic Development Plan for the period 2011-2015.
Chinese victims’ families want more compensation
The families of the four Chinese victims who died in the tour-boat tragedy in the Saigon River last month are demanding greater compensation than originally agreed with the boat operator, while the families of the Vietnamese victims have approached a lawyer.
The Chinese families had earlier accepted an offer by the owners of the Din Ky for US$68,200 but are now demanding $362,000.
On May 31 a meeting was held between Din Ky Restaurant Private Enterprise and the families at the company’s office in Binh Duong Province.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Chinese consulate in Ho Chi Minh City and the provincial government.
It was agreed that Din Ky would pay $68,200, including $40,000 for the cost of returning the bodies to China and the rest for the families’ travel and stay expenses in Vietnam.
But on June 1, when Din Ky representatives took the money to the consulate to pay the relatives, the latter refused to accept it. They wanted an additional $60,000 per victim as compensation for their mental anguish.
Din Ky said it would report to the provincial authorities and await instructions.
Meanwhile, the families of the 12 Vietnamese victims have consulted HCMC lawyer Ha Hai who said he would offer them free legal assistance for negotiating compensation and clarifying Din Ky’s responsibility.
They want company representatives to visit their houses to apologize and negotiate the compensation.
The Din Ky sank in Binh Duong May 20, killing 16 people, including several children.
Turkish hackers attack FPT’s server
Turkish hackers allegedly penetrated internet service provider FPT Telecom’s server computer Tuesday and changed the homepage interface of some websites hosted there.
The websites attacked were www.fptnokia.com.vn and www.fptnokia.vn of the Nokia Distribution Center and FPT Trading’s http://f6.ftg.vn/M.html and http://f-1.com.vn/M.html.
Vo Do Thanh, director of the Athena Internet Security Center, said hackers had taken control of the server at the IP address 210.245.80.140.
There are 59 other websites hosted by that server which are now vulnerable to Trojans and viruses, he said.
When users access these websites, their computers will become zombies that can be remotely accessed by the hackers or have data deleted, he warned.
On website www.zone-h.org, a hacker team named Misafir Tuesday claimed responsibility for the attack.
Australian fined for causing ruckus on aircraft
An Australian who may have been under the influence has been fined for assaulting two people and causing a commotion on board a Vietnam Airlines flight from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City Wednesday.
Graeme Barnes, 53, told a stewardess that he had a toothache and asked for a small bottle of liquor so that he could sleep easier.
A moment later he was screaming at a woman sitting beside him. The stewardess advised him to stop yelling but he did not and removed his watch and threw it at another Australian passenger.
He then attacked a male attendant who requested him to calm down.
The incident was reported to the captain who ordered flight attendants to move Barnes and his family to the rear.
As he continued to shout and showed no signs of quieting down, the crew tied him to his seat.
When the airplane landed at Tan Son Nhat Airport, Security officials drew up a report and Barnes signed it, admitting to his actions aboard the aircraft, and apologized to those he had assaulted.
He claimed to have lost control due to the combined effect of alcohol and some sleeping pills he had taken.
Yesterday, the Southern Airway Administration fined him VND5 million (US$244) after receiving a report from the captain.
Tripartite MOU signed for ‘education during emergency’
MOET, UNICEF and ‘Save the Children-Vietnam’ signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 1 that helps MOET and collaborates to coordinate activities during natural disasters and prepare the education sector for possible crisis during a natural calamity.
The focus of the tripartite MoU is to ensure that children continue to get education, meet friends and teachers during a natural calamity when schools may be underwater, under mud piles or when all study material may be damaged.
Vietnam is highly prone to natural disasters, including floods, landslides and typhoons. Vietnam faces 6-8 major storms and hurricanes every year. Disasters have a strong impact on the education system with damage to school infrastructure and classroom materials, as well as disruption of a child’s learning class.
Moreover, natural disasters can limit hard-won educational achievements and set back Vietnam’s progress towards achieving Education for All and the Millennium Development Goals.
The Ministry of Education and Training is responsible for education activities related to disaster preparedness, response and recovery. These are integrated in the Government’s ten year Strategy, five-year Education Sector Plans and MOET’s Annual Plan at National and Provincial levels.
On its part, UNICEF will help the ministry raise funds and improve managerial staff in preparing for natural disasters.
‘Save the Children-Vietnam’, in coordination with UNICEF, International agencies and networks will share, learn and disseminate best practices in emergency education and provide appropriate educational supplies in an emergency response. It will also complement MOET’s distribution efforts when required, advocate and support MOET in planning and allocating resources related to disaster risk reduction (DRR).
Tran Quang Quy, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education and Training said at the signing ceremony that during last December floods, for example, more than 12 thousand schools closed and children couldn’t go to school for a whole month. The Education in Emergencies MOU prepares local authorities, schools, teachers and children for natural disasters by equipping all parties with skills and knowledge to minimize possible disruption and unnecessary breaks in educational activities.
The ceremony was the first event to put into action the global mandate of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee that UNICEF and Save the Children are responsible for in Vietnam.
Additive inspections to continue: Ministry
Vietnam has established inspection teams to monitor cloudy agent additive in the markets across the country, ever since Taiwan disclosed the contamination threat of the Yu Sheng Chemical Co. product, Di-ethylHexyl phthalate (DEHP).
The Ministry of Health (MOH) in Vietnam has decided to set up inspection teams to strengthen supervision of the commodity in central cities across the country where consumption of cloudy agent additive from Taiwan would be the highest.
Health inspectors will check the origin of the additive and will destroy the product if detected.
Health authorities will pay unscheduled visits to importers, producers and distributors of the additive, especially on those companies importing Taiwanese products. They will also take samples of additives marked from dubious origins.
The Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) has sent a document to its sub-divisions in cities and provinces calling for a strict control of the additive.
Moreover, VFA has updated information on the internet last week to find more contaminated products in the market.
Vietnam fishermen rescue 10 foreigners in East Sea
10 foreigners probably from Malaysia, who were going adrift in the East Sea off Khanh Hoa central province this morning, were rescued by a Vietnamese fishing boat numbered QNg 98676, local sources said Thursday.
They are being taken care of by the boat’s fishermen.
According to Colonel Ho Van Truyen, The boat is now 300 nautical miles away from shore and it could take around 4 days to dock at Nha Trang port.
Local authorities are now in cooperation with the boat to bring the victims ashore.
Naked couple found dead at Hai Phong hotel
A young couple were found naked and dead in a hotel room in Hai Phong nothern province Wednesday afternoon, Dan Tri newswire reported.
Their bodies were discovered by the hotel staff after they notified them to checkout but received no reply.
After being informed, local police arrived on the scene to conduct investigation into the case.
The girl’s naked body was on the bed while the man was found hanged on a rope, police said.
Police also collected a medicine pill, suspected to be a raticide, at the site.
The victims are Pham Duc C., 33, from Duong Kinh district, and Nguyen Thi Q.A, 29, from Kien Thuy district, Hai Phong.
Police are still investigating.
Reckless driver killing 20 gets 7 years in jail
The driver Tran Van Truong, who was taken into custody for violating traffic laws causing serious consequences after causing the death of 20 passengers last year, was given 7 years in prison at today’s trial.
He is also banned from driving bus for five years after finishing the prison sentence by the court.
“It’s a dreadful mistake. Although my son has 7 years of experience and safe driving skills, he couldn’t avoid the accident," said Tran Dai Nghia, Truong’s father, at the trial.
Last October, police in the central province of Ha Tinh arrested Truong, the driver of a bus which was swept away by strong currents from a flooded river last Monday, leaving 20 passengers dead and missing.
The bus was found under the bed of the Lam River, a kilometer from where it was last seen.
The public transport bus was traveling from the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong to the northern Nam Dinh Province when it was swept away.
Rescuers have by far recovered 19 out of 20 the bodies.
Police said Truong ignored warnings and drove the bus carrying 38 people into the flooded area.
Local authorities said Truong and 17 other people managed to get out by breaking the front windows and swam ashore, some by clinging to power poles.
45 passengers avoid death as bus falls into rice field
A bus with 45 passengers on board fell into a rice field on National Highway 1A in Hoa Vang district in the central province of Da Nang this early-dawn morning after the driver tried to avoid a pothole.
The incident left the driver’s assistant severely wounded while five passengers just reportedly suffered from minor injuries.
Meanwhile no human casualties were reported, police said.
All injured victims were later hospitalized for emergency care.
According to eyewitnesses, the driver which was controlling the bus at high speed tried to avoid a wide pothole on the highway and then slammed into road guardrail before falling into a rice field nearby.
Aussie man tied to his seat for flight disturbance
Graeme Barnes, 53, who was aboard a Vietnam Airline flight from Australia’s Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City yesterday afternoon, was tied to his seat after he assaulted a passenger and a flight attendant.
A few hours after take-off, Barnes told a flight attendant that he was suffering from a toothache. He then asked for a small bottle of liquor to drink so he could find it easier to sleep.
His request was fulfilled but a moment later he suddenly screamed and shouted at a woman sitting beside him.
The woman complained about Barnes’ behavior to a stewardess, who then advised him to quiet down, but he continued shouting and removed his wrist watch and threw it at another Australian passenger nearby.
A male attendant came over to Barnes and requested him to calm down, but Barnes attacked the attendant, causing minor injuries to him.
The incident was reported to the captain, who ordered flight attendants to move Barnes and his relatives to the back of the aircraft.
As Barnes continued shouting and showed no sign of restraint, the crew decided to tie his hands to his chair.
When the plane landed at the Tan Son Nhat Airport, airport security officers escorted Barnes off the plane and then made a report about his disturbance during the flight.
Barnes signed the report and admitted to losing self-control due to the combined effect of the alcohol and the sleeping pills he had taken.
The security team let Barnes go after retaining his passport and personal papers.
Vietnam Airlines said it would meet with Barnes today and would give him a penalty.
VNA, SGGP, TT
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