Not only in Kien Giang and Ho Chi Minh City, but over the past three months, northern provinces have reported hundreds of cases of meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis. The number of people infected with this disease has been continuously increasing over the past three years.
* Northern Region in the Season of Illness
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| Doctors and nurses at the pediatric department of Kien Giang General Hospital are taking care of a child patient, H.K., 6 years old – one of three critical cases (Photo: TTO) |
According to Pham Ngoc Dinh, Deputy Director of the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, currently, each week, the Central Pediatric Hospital and the Institute of Tropical Medicine have admitted 5-7 cases of meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis for treatment; in some weeks, the number of patients in these two hospitals has reached 10-15 cases.
At local hospitals, there were 30 recorded cases in January alone. On March 15 and 16, the Children’s Hospital of Nghe An received two children, both born in 2003: Lo Thi Nga, residing in Nghia Hung Commune, Nghia Dan District, and Ngo Duc Bao, residing in Xuan Lam Commune, Nam Dan District.
Both children were admitted in a state of very high fever and had a widespread purplish rash. According to Dr. Duong Cong Hoat, Director of the Children’s Hospital, these are the first cases of meningococcal disease reported in Nghe An. Currently, Nga’s fever has decreased, and she is continuing treatment at the hospital. Bao is in a severe coma, and his family has requested to transfer him home.
Overall, in the first three months of the year, the number of infected individuals has slightly increased compared to the same period in 2005. Mr. Dinh assessed that the current period (January to April) is the season for meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis in the North.
In the South, the disease appears later (around July to August each year), but this year, cases have also been reported in March, with fatalities due to this illness.
The danger of purulent meningitis (the later stage of meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis), according to Mr. Dinh, is that its symptoms (fever, sore throat, loss of appetite…) resemble those of common respiratory infections, making it difficult to diagnose.
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| Vaccination against meningococcal disease for children at the health station in Binh Chieu Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City (photo taken on the afternoon of March 12, 2006) (Photo: TTO) |
Therefore, if not detected and treated properly, the mortality rate can rise to 10%. According to statistics from the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the incidence of purulent meningitis per 100,000 people has continuously increased over the past three years (0.73 in 2003, 1.45 in 2004, and 1.72 last year).
* Kien Giang: Three More Critical Cases
Dr. Pham Van Dom, Director of Kien Giang General Hospital, reported that on March 19, although no new cases were admitted, the progression of meningococcal disease in the province is very complex, with the disease having appeared uniformly in 13 out of 14 districts, towns, and cities in the province.
The pediatric department of the hospital is currently treating five cases, three of which (one from Hon Dat District, one from An Bien District, and one from Tan Hiep) are in very critical condition (on ventilators) and are unlikely to survive. Despite it being a Sunday, the hospital has increased the number of doctors and nurses, and ventilators are being concentrated to treat patients.
Meanwhile, in the town of Hon Dat, where the number of children suffering from meningitis is high, the situation is quite tense, with many families planning to keep their children home from school due to fear of contagion.
On March 19, the health center of this district was ordered to prepare staff, doctors, and ventilators on standby 24/7 to receive child patients. Many parents in Rach Gia City are also expressing concern for their children as cases of meningitis have also appeared there.
Dr. Bui Van Truyen – Director of Kien Giang Department of Health – stated that the leaders of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City have agreed to provide Chloramine B chemicals to Kien Giang. The Department of Health advises the public to remain calm in order to handle the situation effectively.
In Hon Dat, disinfection and sanitation of water sources will be organized on March 20. “Currently, it is not necessary to suspend kindergarten classes as we can still monitor and control the outbreak,” Mr. Truyen stated.
L.ANH – V.TOAN – T.DUNG
Possible Environmental Changes On the morning of March 19, Deputy Minister of Health Trinh Quan Huan stated that recently, sporadic cases of meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis have been reported in several localities. However, previously only the North had a high number of cases; now the South and Central regions are also experiencing this. * What is the cause of this situation, sir? – Normally, Neisseria meningitidis can exist in the nasopharynx without causing any symptoms. When the bacteria infect children or individuals with weak immune systems, the likelihood of illness increases. Meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis spreads through respiratory droplets, primarily due to poor hygiene. Therefore, when the first cases appear, it is crucial to contain the outbreak thoroughly, and the public must implement hygiene measures such as disinfecting the nasal passages and throat with antiseptic solutions, maintaining cleanliness around living environments, and ensuring food hygiene to prevent isolated cases from escalating into a large-scale outbreak. * Recently, residents of Ho Chi Minh City have rushed to get vaccinated against the disease. What is the efficacy of the vaccination, and could this rush lead to a vaccine shortage? – Currently, Vietnam only has a vaccine for meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis type A, while the type most commonly seen in Vietnam is type B. I know that there is a vaccine for type B available globally, but it is not widely purchased due to its short shelf life, leading vaccine import-export companies to be less interested in commercializing it. However, I assure you that the Ministry of Health is ready to facilitate the importation of this vaccine into Vietnam for the public to receive vaccinations. * In the first three months of this year, various diseases have emerged in many areas: in the South, there is a significant increase in dengue fever, and meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis… In the North, after viral fevers, there are cases of mumps, chickenpox, and measles… Why is this happening, sir? – Explaining this situation is quite difficult, as disease outbreaks are complex worldwide, not just in Vietnam. In my opinion, the cause may be due to changing weather, ecological and environmental changes… In some southern provinces such as Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, the number of dengue fever cases in the first three months of the year has increased compared to the same period in 2005, while in the North, viral fevers and meningitis have appeared, but I am confident that they will not escalate into large-scale outbreaks. LAN ANH |
