Gia Lai: Proactive measures to prevent and control dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease

• In the past 3 months, two dangerous infectious diseases, namely dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease, have been complicatedly happening in Gia Lai province.

According to the Center for Disease Control of Gia Lai province, from the beginning of 2023 until now, the whole province has recorded 79 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease and over 1,400 cases of dengue fever, accounting for more than 50% of dengue cases in the whole Central Highlands region.

Dengue fever has occurred in 146/220 communes, wards and towns of 17 districts, towns and cities of Gia Lai province. The localities with the highest number of cases are Duc Co with 244 cases, Krong Pa with 219 cases, Chu Prong with 186 cases, and Pleiku city with 154 cases.

Gia Lai Children's Hospital is the place to receive and treat most of the severe cases in children of these two diseases. In the first 6 months of this year, this hospital received more than 200 cases of dengue fever and 57 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease. These two diseases in children in the past 2 months are showing signs of increasing. Most of the cases brought to the hospital by their families are in serious condition.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tien, who lives in Ia Kla commune, Duc Co district, is currently taking care of his grandson Nguyen Ngoc Khanh Thy (10 years old), one of the patients with severe dengue at the hospital. The doctor gave medicine to go home to treat and monitor but still not cured. On the day of the follow-up appointment, the doctor saw that the disease was not good, so the doctor transferred the hospital to the Children's Hospital.

As for Ms. Bui Thi Kim Oanh residing in Pleiku city, her mother To Ngoc Van Ha (4 years old), one of the severe hand, foot and mouth disease patients being treated at the hospital shared: Her initial symptoms were only mild fever, mouth sores and then red spots on her hands and feet. The family bought medicine for him to take, but in the evening, his illness worsened with a startling state when he slept, his limbs trembled, so the family immediately took him to the emergency room. Doctors diagnosed that the disease had progressed seriously and was admitted to the intensive care unit.

According to BSCKI. Hoang Ngoc Thanh, deputy director of Gia Lai Provincial Children's Hospital, said that these two diseases are life-threatening. Dengue fever causes shock, reduces circulating volume due to plasma drainage, causes multi-organ failure leading to patient death. For hand, foot and mouth disease, it will cause neurological complications, respiratory and circulatory complications leading to death. Therefore, in order to avoid death caused by these two diseases and have the best treatment for patients, doctors always update regularly new information about these two diseases from the upper level, especially on drug types, regimens, and treatment methods. Currently, the treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease and dengue fever at the hospital is relatively complete.

According to the Gia Lai health sector, the main cause of the increase in dengue and hand, foot and mouth disease cases in the past time is due to the mixed rainy and sunny weather, unusual changes creating favorable conditions for the disease to develop, potentially spreading many risks.

Deputy Director of Gia Lai Center for Disease Control Nguyen Van Dong, said that through understanding the situation, epidemic developments in the province will continue to become more complicated in the coming time. The unit reported to the Department of Health and set up a working group in localities to drastically direct the prevention and control of dengue fever, hand, foot and mouth disease; strengthening the commune health team; conduct treatment to kill larvae, larvae; timely examination and treatment.

The Gia Lai Health Sector recommends that people actively take measures to maintain personal hygiene and the living environment around the house. Use effective and safe insect repellents for health. When there is a high fever, vomiting, dizziness, low platelet count or red spots on the skin or oral mucosa, you should go to the nearest medical facility for examination and treatment, do not arbitrarily use drugs or treat with unscientific methods...

* SOURCE: https://vtv.vn/suc-khoe/gia-lai-chu-dong-cac-bien-phap-phong-chong-dich-benh-sot-xuat-huyet-va-tay-chan-mieng-20230722120754851.htm