In particular, Hanoi documented a total of 195 HFMD cases from April 12 to April 19, an increase of 34 cases against the previous week.

The capital also detected eight further HFMD outbreaks in the districts adjacent to the capital city.

Besides Hanoi, the northern and southern regions also witnessed a sharp increase in terms of the number of HDMD cases being recorded.

According to Hoang Minh Duc, director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, 90% of cases involve children under the age of five.

HFMD is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by Coxsackie virus (A16) and Enterovirus 71 (EV71). Locally, the number of infections tends to increase between April and June and from October to December.

The Ministry of Health pointed out that the majority of cases are mild, but some cases can be severe, causing dangerous complications such as encephalitis - meningoencephalitis, myocarditis, and acute pulmonary edema which could potentially lead to death.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent the disease. Therefore, proactive prevention is the best form of defence, with the Ministry of Health recommending that people follow several instructions, including washing hands regularly with soap, eating only cooked food, and regularly cleaning contact surfaces and tools.

VOV