Prevent the risk of measles outbreak

The Ministry of Health has just sent an official dispatch to the People's Committees of provinces and cities requesting to strengthen measles prevention and control.

Children need to be fully vaccinated with vaccines in the Expanded Immunization Program to prevent infection with dangerous infectious diseases.

Regarding this epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued a warning about the increasing number of measles cases and the risk of measles outbreaks in many areas around the world.

In Europe, more than 300,000 cases were recorded in 2023, an increase of more than 30 times compared to 2022. In the Western Pacific region, the number of measles cases increased by 255%.

In Vietnam, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in recent times and the disruption of vaccine supply in the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 2023 have impacted the rate of full vaccination for children nationwide.

Many children have not been vaccinated on schedule or have not received enough doses of vaccines in recent years, which is a risk factor for disease outbreaks, including measles.

The Ministry of Health said that in the first months of this year, the country's infectious disease reporting system recorded 42 sporadic cases of measles and suspected measles rash fever in 13 provinces and cities. There have been no concentrated outbreaks.

The number of measles cases in the world has increased dramatically, the Ministry of Health requires increased disease prevention

To minimize the risk of measles outbreaks in the coming time, the Ministry of Health recommends that People's Committees of provinces and cities strengthen monitoring and early detection of measles cases in the community and medical examination and treatment facilities; and implement measures to thoroughly handle outbreaks as soon as cases are detected.

Continue to implement regular monthly vaccination for children under the EPI program, including measles vaccination for 9-month-old children and measles-rubella vaccination for 18-month-old children; review and organize catch-up vaccinations for subjects under the EPI program who have not been vaccinated against measles, paying special attention to vaccination depressions where the rate of vaccinated children is low.

Promote propaganda activities on the risk of measles and preventive measures, mobilize people to fully and timely vaccinate their children with vaccines in the EPI program to proactively prevent infectious diseases for which vaccines are available.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/ngan-chan-nguy-co-bung-phat-benh-soi-185240319185540737.htm