The
health department in Binh Phuoc Province, located in southern Vietnam,
announced on Wednesday that a diphtheria outbreak has claimed three lives, with
31 additional diphtheria-positive cases reported.
The
reluctance of citizens to seek vaccination is a major factor behind the sudden
diphtheria epidemic in the province, Doctor Nguyen Dong Thong, director of the
provincial health department, said.
Two of
the deceased, T.L., 12, Đ.T, 18, had been living in Thuan Phu Commune, while
N.T.H, 24, was a resident of Thuan Loi Commune.
According
to Dr. Thong, between June 24 and July 12, 34 patients, including the deceased,
tested positive for diphtheria. The remaining 31 patients are receiving medical
treatment in health centers in Binh Phuoc and Ho Chi Minh City, said Dr. Thong.
The
director of the Binh Phuoc Department of Health said that his agency, the Ho
Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, and the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical
Diseases are carrying out medical examinations in search of a solution to the current
pandemic.
“Despite
regular vaccination schedules, the immunization coverage among local citizens
falls below 95-97 percent – the suggested percentage to prevent diphtheria
outbreaks,” says Dr. Thong.
Local
authorities and healthcare organizations have utilized Chloramine B 5% to purge
bacteria in the infected zone and advised locals to get vaccinated and wear
masks during contact with the infected.
Symptoms
including fever, sore throat, and swollen neck are closely linked to diphtheria
and should be checked by a doctor.
While the
free diphtheria vaccine has been listed under an expanded program on
immunization, young adults and those in older age groups who were not
vaccinated when local immunization coverage was low remain at risk and account
for the current spread of the disease, said Tran Dac Phu, chief of the General
Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health.
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