Risk of making Covid-19 dangerous, causing serious complications

The current Covid-19 variants do not mutate in virulence but are more contagious and spread faster than the old Omicron variant. Notably, Covid-19 can cause more severe illness in people with reduced resistance after measles.

Double epidemic makes Covid-19 more dangerous

Dr. Le Kien Ngai, Head of the Department of Infection Prevention and Control, National Children's Hospital, said that since the end of April, the National Children's Hospital has recorded Covid-19 cases coming for examination. The number of Covid-19 cases among pediatric patients has increased rapidly in recent weeks.

Covid-19 cases coming for examination are mainly simple, no severe cases or complications.

Risk of dangerous complications in Covid-19 patients due to decreased resistance after measles and underlying diseases

PHOTO: THU GIANG

However, Dr. Ngai noted that the current outbreak of Covid-19 coincides with the measles outbreak. Recently, it has been noted that among Covid-19 cases, there are patients who had measles before.

Measles attacks the immune system, causing the patient's resistance to be greatly reduced, which is a factor that allows infectious diseases to attack patients who have just had measles, making Covid-19 more dangerous, stronger and more complicated, greatly reducing the immune system.

Don't worry too much when Covid-19 returns

Dr. Ngãi assessed that the Covid-19 outbreak this year is quite similar to the Covid-19 outbreak in 2024, which lasted for 5 months, from May to September, with the peak of the epidemic recording 400 positive cases/week. Therefore, there is no need to worry too much about the Covid-19 outbreak this time. The important thing is to have a positive attitude, be ready to respond and take precautions.

The reason for the return of Covid-19 this time, shared by Dr. Ngai, is that with any infectious disease, when the immunity in the community decreases, the disease has a chance to return. The same goes for Covid-19, after a long period since October 2024 when no positive Covid-19 cases were recorded, the current record is due to the decrease in immunity in the community.

Plus, the frequency of communication is higher, and especially, Covid-19 in neighboring countries is also increasing sharply, affecting us.

The agent causing SARS-CoV-2 to cause the Covid-19 outbreak in 2025 has sub-variants of the Omicron variant, which are variants XBB 1.16; XBB 1.5, and the XEC variant group.

The Ministry of Health 's epidemiological surveillance system is monitoring the XEC variant. These variants are not currently mutated in terms of pathogenicity, but they are much more contagious and stronger than the old Omicron variant. If the variant is highly contagious, the risk of an outbreak in the community is entirely possible.

"It is necessary for us to be vigilant and ready to face the epidemic. Not too worried, not too panicked, but knowing the characteristics of this outbreak to respond promptly is necessary," Dr. Ngai added.

According to the World Health Organization, the impact of Covid-19 on human health has gradually decreased in 2023 and 2024. However, SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate and evolve unpredictably. There is currently no new warning for Covid-19 globally.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguy-co-khien-covid-19-nguy-hiem-gay-bien-chung-nang-18525052816240796.htm