A child got measles vaccination at the Đà Nẵng Centre for Disease Control (CDC). VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The number of measles cases is increasing while the vaccination rate for children aged six to nine months remains low, said Vũ Cao Cương, deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Health.

According to reports from the department, the number of measles cases in the city has been rising since the final two months last year.

The city had recorded 1,446 measles cases as of March 14, of which 570 cases in 2024 and 876 cases in just over two months this year.

Most cases involve individuals who have not been vaccinated, or have not received a full dose of the measles vaccine, said Cương.

It is expected that the number of cases will continue to rise, along with an increasing number of hand, foot, and mouth disease cases following its annual cycle, he said.

Additionally, dengue fever cases are expected to rise as the country enters the epidemic season from June to November.

At a recent meeting on disease prevention and control, vice chairwoman of the Hà Nội People's Committee, Vũ Thu Hà, who also heads the city's disease prevention and control committee, called on local authorities to proactively monitor the situation based on forecasts and implement early disease prevention measures.

She urged agencies and localities to focus on aggressively implementing the measles vaccination campaign for children aged six to nine months, ensuring completion by the end this month, as per Government directives with a target vaccination rate of 95 per cent.

She also urged local authorities to intensify efforts to prevent dengue fever and other infectious diseases.

In Hà Nội, the average number of measles cases in the past four weeks was 108 cases per week.

Cases have been recorded in 377 communes, wards, and townships across all 30 districts, with a concentration in inner-city districts and suburban areas.

Among districts with high measles cases, Hoàng Mai leads with 221 cases, followed by Hà Đông (100 cases), Thanh Trì (93), Nam Từ Liêm (90), Đống Đa (85), Tây Hồ (71), Hoàn Kiếm (66), Thường Tín (62) and Ba Đình (60).

The majority of measles cases are in children under five years old with 66 per cent, and 91 per cent of cases involve children who have not been vaccinated, or have not received a full two-doses.

Notably, this year, there has been an increase in cases among children aged six to eight months, even though the standard vaccination schedule in the national immunisation programme starts at nine months old.

Hà Nội has recorded 290 cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease, 186 cases of dengue fever, and 4,045 cases of seasonal influenza from the beginning this year.

Regarding disease prevention efforts, the Hà Nội Department of Health has instructed agencies to proactively implement monitoring and response measures.

The department has been conducting surveillance at 68 hospitals city-wide to detect early cases of infectious diseases and respond appropriately.

In particular, to combat measles, the city has launched a vaccination campaign for children.

The campaign's vaccination coverage is currently standing at 66 per cent city-wide. However, some districts, such as Đống Đa, Hai Bà Trưng, Nam Từ Liêm, Gia Lâm, and Long Biên, still have low vaccination rates.

It is forecast that the number of measles cases will continue to rise along with potential fatalities, especially among children with underlying health conditions who require frequent hospitalisation.

Hà Nội's health sector is also monitoring incoming travellers at Nội Bài International Airport to detect and prevent the entry of infectious diseases.

Đà Nẵng accelerates vaccinations

The Đà Nẵng Department of Health reported that since the beginning of this year, the city recorded 2,218 suspected measles cases.

At Đà Nẵng Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital alone, more than 1,300 suspected and confirmed measles cases have been treated since early 2025, with 93 patients requiring oxygen support.

Recently, the hospital has been receiving an average of 40–70 suspected measles cases per day, with approximately 50 per cent of patients coming from Quảng Nam Province in proximity.

The deputy director of the Đà Nẵng Department of Health, Dr Võ Thu Tùng, said that healthcare facilities have been instructed to uphold a strong sense of responsibility including proper screening, classification, infection control, prevention of transmission, risk assessment, public communication and outbreak response in accordance with regulations.

The Đà Nẵng authorities called for enhanced measles vaccination rates for children aged from six to nine months and for those aged from one year to ten years old.

This ensures the efficient implementation of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and the measles vaccination campaign, including supplementary and catch-up vaccinations for those who have not been vaccinated or have not completed the full vaccine regimen.

Cases surge in Lai Châu

The measles situation in the north western province of Lai Châu has become increasingly complex, with a rising number of cases.

The Infectious Diseases Department of Lai Châu Provincial General Hospital is admitting many measles patients and suspected cases from remote and mountainous communes in the province.

At present, the department is treating over 80 patients, with the youngest being five years old and the oldest over 50. Hospital rooms in the department are overcrowded, with many beds being shared.

Most patients exhibit symptoms such as fevers, a cough or rash and red skin eruptions.

The department head at the hospital Dr Hàng Láo Lử, said that last year there were no hospital cases, but since the start of 2025, the number of hospitalised patients has surged.

According to the Lai Châu Centre for Disease Control (CDC), to date, the province has monitored and detected 663 suspected measles cases with fever and a rash. This represents an increase of 653 cases compared to the same period in 2024, of which 116 cases have been confirmed as measles through virus testing, 515 cases have been epidemiologically identified as measles, 19 cases tested negative and 13 cases are awaiting results.

To cope with the situation, the provincial CDC continues to effectively implement the Expanded Programme on Immunisation for 2025 and the 2025 measles vaccination campaign.

The provincial health sector urges residents to ensure that children aged nine months to two years who have not been vaccinated or have not received the full two-doses, to get vaccinated. VNS