Since the start of this year, a total of over 1,280 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) have been recorded in the city, a rise of 130 cases compared with the same period last year, according to the Da Nang Preventive Medicine Centre.

A doctor giving medical examination to a child patient

During that period, 11 disease hotspots have been identified in the city. Fortunately, no deaths from HFMD have been reported in the city so far this year.

Since the early this month, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of children with HFMD.

In particular, between 1 and 8 October, 150 out of 173 children admitted to the city’s Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital were diagnosed with HFMD.

On 11 October alone, the hospital received a total of 125 children, 97 of whom were suffering from HFMD.

Dr Nguyen Hai Thinh, Deputy Head of the hospital’s Ward for Tropical Diseases, said in addition to providing treatment for its inpatients, the hospital is offering medical examinations to a daily average of between 80 and 100 child outpatients with HFMD.

“HFMD is not a reportable disease, making it difficult for doctors to track. The disease is most common in children ages 5 and younger.  Especially, children aged between 1-3 face the high risk of this contagious infectious disease. The rash takes form as spots or bumps on the hands or feet, or lesions of the mouth, but signs can appear elsewhere on the body. Additional symptoms include fever and a sore throat. This disease progresses rapidly every hour, so it is very dangerous to the health and life of child patients” Dr Thinh warned.

The hospital’s Deputy Director, Mr Nguyen Son, remarked the number of children with HFMD was not as high as that reported in the peak period for the disease in 2011. However, this year’s hospitalised patients have contracted the HFM EV71 infection, which causes a high risk of severe complications such as pneumonia and respiratory failure, and even death.

He added that since early September his hospital has taken numerous strong measures to prevent any possible outbreak from occurring in the city. In particular, importance has been attached to increasing the number of doctors and nurses for working at the Ward for Tropical Diseases.

Heed has been paid to providing sufficient supplies of medicines, medical equipment and chemicals for the Ward’s mobile emergency teams who get ready for giving a well-timed help to local medical stations if necessary.

Dr Ton That Thanh, Director of the municipal Preventive Medicine, advised that parents should wash their hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially before cooking and feeding their children, and after changing diapers, as well as encourage their children do the same. The intention is to reduce the risk of getting infected with HFMD.

He also warned that parents should take preventive measures as the peak season might extend into next months. If children have a fever for two days and experience vomiting, they should be taken to the nearest health facilities for examination and treatment.