An additional 116 patients were infected with measles virus and two more died of the infectious disease on April 19, according to the Ministry of Health.

Since the beginning of the year, 3,360 people in 61 provinces and cities nationwide have contracted the disease, resulting in 27 fatalities.

Notably, the number of cross infections in hospital is increasing, with 82 cases confirmed at the Hanoi-based Central Pediatrics Hospital over the past three days.

On April 19 alone, 10 child patients were transferred to the Infectious Department for treatment after blood samples showed they were carrying the virus from measles patients nearby.

Currently, 17 measles patients are using respirators at the hospital.

The Health Ministry insists vaccination is the most effective measure to help prevent the spread of the deadly disease among children. The vaccination rate in March and April was estimated at 57.46%.

A delegation from the Health Ministry led by Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and Deputy Ministers Nguyen Thanh Long and Le Quang Cuong inspected measles treatment at Thach That, Saint Paul hospitals in Hanoi,  pediatrics hospitals No1 and No2 and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCM City.

Free vaccination in Hanoi

As of April 20 the Hanoi Preventive Medicine Department began providing free measles vaccination for children under 6 years old.

The capital city is taking the lead in the number of measles infections in Vietnam, accounting for 30% of the country’s total figure and  50% of deaths caused by the disease.

Nguyen Nhat Cam, Director of the Hanoi Preventive Medicine Department, said that the disease is now at its peak in Hanoi.

Authorities are doing all they can to control the outbreak, but incidences of the disease are still at a high level, he said.

The city is intensifying tough measures against measles and is expected to put the disease under control by the end of this month.

However, Cam expressed concerns about a possible shortage of measles vaccine due to the rising demand these days.

Since January 2014, as many as 1,222 people in Hanoi have been diagnosed with measles. On average the city’s hospitals have received between 20-22 measles patients every day for the past week.

Measles under control in 10 provinces

No new measles cases have been detected in 10 provinces over the past three weeks, while doctors insist vaccination is the most effective preventive measure against the disease.

The 10 localities reporting no new infections are Ha Nam, Phu Tho, Bac Kan, Lai Chau, Cao Bang, and Yen Bai in the north, Nghe An, Quang Ngai, and Phu Yen in the central region, and Ben Tre in the south.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said an additional 120 patients suspected of contracting measles were hospitalised across the country on April 18.

Centrally-run hospitals are overloded with children infected with measles

The Central Paediatrics Hospital received two child patients suffering from serious pneumonia and testing positive for measles virus. They are both less than 9 months old and had not been vaccinated against measles.

The Central Paediatrics Hospital is treating 230 patients of measles, with 18 using respirators. Other centrally-run hospitals like Bach Mai and Tropical Diseases are also providing medical services for measles patients.

Since the beginning of this year, as many as 3,256 out of 8,799 suspect patients have tested positive for measles virus. Twenty-five have died.

Five working missions of the Ministry of Health have fanned out to hospitals and hot spots to inspect measles prevention.

Vaccination a must

Professor Nguyen Tran Hien, director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), said vaccination is the most effective measure to prevent the disease.

Vietnam has carried out the national expanded immunisation programme since 1985 for children under 1 year old to prevent six child killers, including measles.   

Doctors say vaccination is the most effective preventive remedy against measles

If children less than 2 years old receive two measles shots as required, they might be immunized against the disease the whole life, Hien said,

Statistics show with the national immunization programme in place, measles incidence decreased 573 times in 2012 compared with 1984.

The Ministry of Health warned children should have the first shot when they are nine months old and receive the second shot nine months later.

It has implemented an additional inoculation phase for children from nine months to 2 years old across the country since February 2014.

To date about 300,000 eligible children have been vaccinated against measles, meeting 46.9% of the plan.

Measles has not been eliminated in Vietnam. Its cycle begins every 3 or 4 years, and it is being repeated in the 2013-2014 period. However, the incidences are much lower than the 2009-2010 period.

Vietnam aims to wipe out the disease by 2017. 

VOV/VNN