The hand, foot, and mouth disease has sounded the alarm in Ho Chi Minh City with up to 640 new cases reported in the last week of September, highest compared to previous months.
Districts that documented a sharp increase in infections during the week include District 9, District 12, Tan Phu District, and Binh Chanh District.
According to Dr. Hong Nga, the risks of transmission are high at places with many children such as kindergartens or nurseries.
As the new academic year has just started, possible outbreak may occur everywhere in the city; therefore, parents should take their children to nearby medical clinics when their children have symptoms of hand-foot-mouth disease.
Moreover, the child should be kept at home to prevent the spread.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is usually caused by enterovirus. At present, there are no vaccines to protect against the illness.
In a related news, on the same day, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the Central Highlands Province of Lam Dong said that 774 cases of dengue have been reported across the province mostly in districts Duc Trong with 287 cases, Da Teh, Bao Lam and Bao Loc Town.
