'The peak of hand, foot and mouth disease may come soon'

Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine Phan Trong Lan predicted that the peak of the hand, foot and mouth disease this year may come early, in the context of an increase in the number of severe and critical cases.

"The peak of the epidemic usually occurs during the school year in September and October, but it has started to increase early, so this year's peak may come earlier," Mr. Lan said during a working session of the Ministry of Health at Children's Hospital 1 on epidemic prevention, after a field trip to a kindergarten and residential area on the afternoon of June 22.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Van Quang, Head of the Department of Intensive Care and Anti-Poisoning, Children's Hospital 1, in the past 5 years since the 2018 epidemic, severe cases of hand, foot and mouth disease have been very rare. This year, the Enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain has appeared, which is highly contagious and virulent, so severe cases have increased. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health recorded a nearly 150% increase in the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases in the past month, with many severe cases.

Specifically, at Children's Hospital 1, the rate of severe patients increased 2.5 times compared to the same period last year, although the number of patients was not large. This place recorded 4 deaths transferred from other localities. Last week, the hospital received more than 10 children with hand, foot and mouth disease in severe and critical condition, requiring ventilators and cardiac support, while two weeks ago there were no severe cases requiring resuscitation. With the number of severe cases increasing, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Director of Children's Hospital 1, also "predicted that this year the peak of the epidemic could come early".

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, is concerned that the hand, foot and mouth disease is becoming more complicated as the number of cases in localities is increasing.

Surveillance activities in the Southern region recorded that more than 50% of hand, foot and mouth disease samples were Enterovirus 71 (EV71). This strain has the characteristics of spreading quickly and is highly virulent, causing an increase in severe cases, and is the agent causing major outbreaks in 2011 and 2018.

According to Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, the city's final hospitals such as the three children's hospitals and the Department of Pediatrics, Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases have recently received an increase in serious cases.

"The difficulty with hand, foot and mouth disease is that the disease progresses quickly. The most important issue is to promptly recognize the signs of serious illness in order to promptly treat and transfer patients to other facilities," said Dr. Chau, while expressing "concern because the number of severe cases in the provinces is increasing. When the number of cases increases, there will be a higher rate of severe illness."

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong (short hair, middle) visits a child with severe hand, foot and mouth disease at the Intensive Care and Anti-Poison Department, Children's Hospital 1. Photo: Le Phuong

Recently, the supply of some drugs to treat severe hand, foot and mouth disease (Immunoglobulin, Phenobarbital for infusion) has encountered difficulties due to global shortages. In early June, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health requested the Drug Administration of Vietnam (Ministry of Health) to support in finding drug sources. It is expected that in July, the city will have about 4,000 vials of Immunoglobulin to distribute to hospitals.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong highly appreciated the treatment, reserve of drugs for serious illness, and support for lower-level hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City. Hospitals need to forecast the demand for rare drugs and drugs for treatment of emerging diseases so that the local health sector can connect with suppliers to proactively plan imports.

In the face of the situation that the peak of the epidemic may come soon, Ho Chi Minh City has prepared a response scenario according to the epidemic levels. The final hospitals have increased coordination, admission, and treatment decentralization. In addition, the health sector has also organized continuous training and coaching, shared treatment experiences, and at the same time, propagated people on disease prevention and early access to medical facilities when there are signs of illness.

"It is very important that experts strengthen guidance for lower levels to detect early for early treatment and limit serious complications," said Mr. Lan.

Le Phuong

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