HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health has asked provincial and city hospitals nationwide to tighten measures on patient classification and treatment to prevent hospital congestion and reduce cross-infections.

The move is in response to the increase of patients who have visited hospitals or been hospitalised recently due to measles, dengue fever and hand-foot-mouth (HFM) disease.  

“The number of patients infected with measles, dengue fever and HFM disease is higher than the same period last year and is expected to increase, especially at central hospitals like the pediatrics hospitals in Hà Nội and HCM City, the Tropical Diseases Hospital and provincial hospitals,” said the health ministry’s Medical Examination and Treatment Administration director Lương Ngọc Khuê.

Examination and treatment facilities were requested to strengthen communication activities to increase awareness of patients, patient’s families and medical workers on transmitted disease prevention.  

Medical facilities were required to set up separate areas for suspected measles cases and measles patients. Patients hospitalised due to serious measles, dengue fever and HFM disease should be supervised closely to avoid hospital congestion and cross-infections.

Medical facilities should prepare enough medicines, equipment and medical materials following measles diagnosis and treatment instructions given by the ministry. They were also told to have specific areas for receiving suspected measles cases and treating measles patients in its pediatrics and transmitted diseases faculties or other isolated areas.   

For HFM patients, medical facilities need a treatment area isolated from measles treatment area to prevent cross transmission between patients, especially serious measles and HFM patients who are being treated at the same intensive care unit.   

As of Monday, the health ministry reported 1,093 measles, including one death, among 2,942 suspected cases, 61,821 HFM cases, including six deaths and 67,414 dengue fever cases, including 11 deaths since the beginning of this year. — VNS