The Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC) recorded an increase in the number of hand, foot and mouth cases in the past two weeks, detecting 3 outbreaks at 3 preschools.
Currently, the CDC records 60-70 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease every week, bringing the total number of cases in the first three months of the year to 300, an increase of 75 cases compared to the same period last year. The city has had 5 outbreaks, of which in the past two weeks alone, 3 schools were infected with the disease.
Not only in Hanoi, the number of hand, foot and mouth cases across the country is also increasing. According to the Ministry of Health, in the first quarter, the country had more than 6,000 cases, doubling compared to the same period last year.
Unpredictable weather conditions create conditions for many infectious diseases such as measles, chickenpox, hand, foot and mouth disease, whooping cough… to increase, according to CDC Hanoi. It is forecasted that the city may record more cases and outbreaks, requiring monitoring and early detection, especially at health stations, preschools, elementary schools… to handle and prevent wider infections. in the community.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease that can be caused by many viruses, spread from person to person and has the risk of creating a large outbreak. The disease has many dangerous complications, progressing very quickly within just a few hours. Symptoms are fever (mild or high) and skin lesions (red spots, blisters in special locations such as throat, around the mouth, palms, soles of feet, buttocks, knees…). Some children only have mouth ulcers or small spots on the buttocks or groin. If you don’t pay attention, it is very difficult to detect.
Most children have mild illness, but if not detected and treated promptly, the disease can cause dangerous complications such as shock, encephalitis, meningitis, myocarditis, acute pulmonary edema, and even death.
There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease. Each time children get sick, they only create antibodies to a certain type of virus, so they can get sick many times.
Disease-causing viruses can live on doorknobs and remain on toys and desks for a long time. The disease is also transmitted through contact with droplets and secretions. Therefore, families or schools with children with hand, foot and mouth disease need to clean and disinfect furniture and objects that the sick child has come into contact with. Isolate your baby to avoid infecting other children.