Paediatric patients treated for hand, foot and mouth disease at Children's Hospital No 1, in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City is forecast to have many severe cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, with even fatalities, in the near future if the city does not take effective prevention and treatment measures.

A report from the Pasteur Institute in HCM City showed that as of June 11, the whole southern region recorded 9,028 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, including four deaths that tested positive for Enterovirus 71 (which can cause severe illness in some cases).

In HCM City, there have been 2,407 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease so far this year, no deaths have been recorded.

Local hospitals have given inpatient treatment to 147 cases, all of which were under six years old. Of which, 18 children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease are being treated in the intensive care units of three Children's hospitals and 14 children are in critical condition requiring mechanical ventilation and one case has to undergo dialysis.

In response to the situation, the city’s Health Department has built a plan to ensure the treatment of hand, foot and mouth disease following three scenarios.

Under the first scenario, there are less than 50 new hospital admissions per day, less than 200 inpatients and less than 20 severe cases in hospitals, the total number of hospital beds for hand, foot and mouth treatment is more than 200, with 30 beds for intensive care. Paediatric patients will be given priority to be treated at three children’s hospitals in the city.

Under the second scenario, the number of new hospital admissions per day increases from 50-100 cases, the health system has to serve 200-700 inpatients and 20-70 severe cases. The total number of beds for hand, foot and mouth treatment will be 700, including 80 intensive care beds. In addition to three children’s hospitals, the city’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases will be mobilised for treatment.

Under the third scenario, the city has 100-200 new hand, foot and mouth cases per day and health facilities have to serve 700-1,400 inpatients with about 70-140 severe cases. The total number of sick beds that need to be prepared is 1,400, including 150 intensive-care beds. Severe paediatric patients will be treated at three children’s hospitals and the city’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The treatment system will classify paediatric patients for outpatient and inpatient treatment, and specifically assign medical facilities to treat the patients in order to avoid overloading and minimise the number of deaths.

The city’s health department says hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease of the gastrointestinal tract, which can progress rapidly and threaten life, so people, especially families with children under five years old, should strictly implement disease prevention measures such as frequent hand washing with soap under running water for children and caregivers; regularly clean surfaces and tools children come into contact with every day.

When detecting signs of illness, the children should be taken to the nearest medical facility. Parents have to closely monitor children to detect early signs of serious illness such as high fever, constant crying, rapid pulse and weakness in limbs.

Previously, on June 12, the Ministry of Health sent a document asking provinces and cities to strengthen measures against hand-foot-mouth disease. — VNS