The number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, a contagious viral illness that affects mostly infants and children, has been on the rise recently in Da Nang. Although there are no signs of a strong outbreak, the local healthcare sector recommends that the grassroots localities, educational institutions and families take the initiative to take care of and protect their children from this dangerous disease.

The number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in Da Nang has shown signs of increasing over the past 2 weeks. A doctor at the Da Nang Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital examines and treats a child with hand, foot and mouth disease. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

The Department of Tropical Medicine of the Da Nang Hospital of Maternity and Paediatrics receives about 20 in-patients infected with the hand, foot and mouth disease every day for treatment. Of special note, the number of patients soared over the past 2 weeks.

In the morning of May 6, a 4-year-old girl residing in An Hai Bac Ward, Son Tra District was taken to the hospital by her family due to fever continuously above 39 degrees Celsius, despite taking fever-reducing drugs. Rashes with blistering in the mouth caused her drooling continuously.

Doctor Nguyen Hai Thinh, Head of the Department of Tropical Medicine, said that this unit is offering treatment to 120 children infected with this disease.

The disease is usually caused by enterovirus, usually breaking out two times of the year: March-May and September-November.

At present, there are no vaccines to protect against the illness.

Body fluids, including nasal mucus, saliva, as well as blister fuilds, feces, and vomit of the infected are the main sources of transmission.

The risks of transmission are high at places with many children such as kindergartens or nurseries. The most common age group of children contracting the disease is 1-5 years, in which children aged 1- 3 are at the highest risk of being infected with the disease.

According to the Da Nang Centre for Disease Control (CDC), in just one week (up to May 1), the city recorded 105 patients with the disease, an increase of 78 cases compared to the previous week.

Since the beginning of 2022, the whole city has recorded 215 cases and 97.7% of patients are aged 1 - 5.

According to Doctor Nguyen Tien Hong, Deputy Director of the Department of Health, within one week (from April 25 to May 1), the number cases accounted for more than 48% of the total caseload calculated from the start of this year.

In order to protect children, parents are advised to follow food safety guidelines and keep their kids away from infected or suspected cases.

For kids with symptoms such as a persistent high fever, sleep disorders, convulsions, dyspnea, unstable walks, vomiting or pale skin, going to the hospital for treatment is the best solution to avoid complications.

Pre-schools are required to sterilise classrooms and toys regularly and report to local authorities when new hand, foot and mouth cases are found.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by A.THU