HCM CITY — There is a high risk of a measles outbreak in HCM City overlapping existing diseases, including dengue fever and hand, foot, and mouth disease, according to the city's Department of Health.

The warning was given at an online conference on strengthening disease prevention and control in 2024 for the Southern region held by the Pasteur Institute of HCM City.

“The most concerning trend is the increase in vaccine-preventable diseases such as whooping cough and measles,” said Dr. Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh Châu, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Health.

While hand, foot, and mouth disease and dengue fever are under control, the city’s health sector is concerned about the risk of measles spreading after recording 16 cases.

As of the 23rd week of 2024, the city has recorded 30 cases of whooping cough, 90 per cent of which are children under five years old, with 44 per cent not yet having reached the age to receive the first dose of the whooping cough vaccine.

In addition, it has recorded 16 cases of measles, of which 15 cases are children under five years old and 85 per cent of those cases have not been fully vaccinated according to schedule.

The patients are living in districts of Hóc Môn, Bình Tân, Bình Chánh and 8.

Facing a high risk of a measles outbreak, the health sector has stepped up vaccinations and catch-up vaccinations against measles for children at health stations.

The Department of Health advises the municipal People's Committee to issue a plan to prevent measles in the city proactively.

Under the plan, the city will focus on early detection of suspected measles and rash fever cases, take blood samples for testing, and conduct epidemiological investigations.

HCM City’s Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital 1, Children's Hospital 2, and the city’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases are responsible for receiving and treating measles patients while preventing cross-contamination in medical facilities.

So far, the city has recorded 6,210 cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease.

The cumulative number of dengue fever cases in the city as of the 23rd week of 2024 was 3,677 with no deaths, and the number of cases has decreased compared to the same period last year.

Thirty-six monkeypox cases have been recorded in 21 of 22 districts and Thủ Đức city. All have been male patients without deaths. — VNS