3 people died of diphtheria, Ministry of Health issued urgent dispatch

On the afternoon of September 18, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Ministry of Health sent a document to hospitals under the Ministry of Health; Departments of Health of provinces and cities; and health departments of ministries and branches on strengthening the diagnosis and treatment of diphtheria.

The Department of Medical Examination and Treatment requires units to urgently re-train and review the guidelines for diphtheria diagnosis and treatment for all medical staff (public and private) participating in medical examination and treatment. This is to detect suspected cases early for early isolation and treatment.

3 người tử vong vì bạch hầu, Bộ Y tế ra công văn khẩn - Ảnh 1.

The working group visited a household in an area with diphtheria. Photo: Ha Giang Department of Health

At the same time, review the process, equipment, drugs, and supplies according to instructions to organize the screening, isolation, admission, and treatment of diphtheria patients according to regulations, minimizing the mortality rate; ensuring infection prevention in medical examination and treatment facilities.

Clinical cases of suspected diphtheria should be given priority in choosing antibiotics according to instructions, taking samples immediately for staining and microscopy to find bacteria; and giving people in contact with them prophylactic antibiotics according to instructions.

In addition to strengthening monitoring and early detection of complications for timely treatment and referral when necessary, the Ministry of Health requires that for difficult and severe cases, it is necessary to consult with experts and seek opinions from higher levels before referral.

According to the Ha Giang Department of Health, as of September 16, the Provincial General Hospital is treating 12 suspected cases of diphtheria, Meo Vac District Regional General Hospital is treating 32 people and Yen Minh District Regional General Hospital is treating 2 people.

3 người tử vong vì bạch hầu, Bộ Y tế ra công văn khẩn - Ảnh 3.

Medical staff distribute diphtheria preventive medicine to relevant people. Photo: Thu Ngan

Previously, 37 patients were discharged from the hospital and are being monitored by local health workers for 14 days since their discharge. Nearly 11,000 people in Yen Minh and Meo Vac districts have been given prophylactic antibiotics.

Mr. Tran Nhu Duong, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Health's working group in Ha Giang province on diphtheria, said that most diphtheria outbreaks have an unknown source of infection because healthy people carrying the virus do not have obvious symptoms. In Dien Bien, from May to now, the province has recorded 6 positive cases of diphtheria, 1 death. The source of infection in all cases is also unknown.

Diphtheria can be transmitted directly from sick people to healthy people through the respiratory tract. This is a common form of transmission of the disease. In addition, diphtheria bacteria are also transmitted from one person to another through intermediate objects such as: utensils, toys, and objects containing secretions of sick people. Diphtheria bacteria can penetrate through damaged skin, causing cutaneous diphtheria. On average, after about 2 weeks of infection, the patient can begin to infect others.

People with diphtheria will have typical symptoms such as mild fever, sore throat, cough, hoarseness, loss of appetite. When the disease becomes severe, the patient will have symptoms such as swollen neck, difficulty breathing, heart disorders, hoarseness, gradual paralysis...

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