In the first 6 months of the year, Nghe An detected 45 measles cases.
Measles cases appeared sporadically in the community in many localities across the province.
According to the report of the Center for Disease Control of Nghe An province: From the beginning of the year to June 22, 2024, Nghe An province recorded 45 cases of measles scattered in 11 localities, including: Vinh city, Nghi Loc, Nam Dan, Do Luong, Hung Nguyen, Quynh Luu, Quy Hop, Yen Thanh, Tan Ky, Thanh Chuong, Dien Chau.
The first case had symptoms starting at the end of March (1 case), then the province continued to record new cases in April (16 cases), May (14 cases), June (14 cases)... These measles cases have been and are being treated at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital (35 cases); Vinh International Hospital (6 cases); National Children's Hospital (4 cases) and Vinh City General Hospital (2 cases).
Conducting an epidemiological investigation of 45 measles cases, 16 cases were not old enough to be vaccinated, 15 cases were old enough to be vaccinated for the first dose, only 4 cases had been vaccinated (26.7%); 12 cases were old enough to be vaccinated for the second dose, only 1 case had been vaccinated for the second dose (0.83%); 2 cases were adults.
Also according to the Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control: The return of measles is due to the Covid-19 pandemic affecting expanded immunization activities, reducing the rate of vaccine coverage in the community. Along with that, the interruption in vaccine supply of the Expanded Immunization Program in the past time has affected the vaccination rate of vaccines across the province.
Currently, cases appear sporadically in the community in many localities across the province and the situation of self-treatment when the disease has only mild signs leads to difficulty in control and early detection. A number of cases have entered the province from other areas, increasing the source of disease transmission in the community. Cross-infection in medical facilities where measles patients are being treated is a potential risk of forming outbreaks and can spread to the community very high.
To prevent measles, Nghe An health sector is actively strengthening surveillance to detect suspected cases early and expand vaccination activities; stepping up screening of children in the whole province, vaccination history and implementing catch-up vaccination, measles vaccine (for children from 9 months old) and measles-rubella vaccine (for children from 18 months old) to create community immunity with vaccine coverage.
Actively monitor suspected cases at hospitals to promptly detect suspected cases, conduct epidemiological investigations, take samples for testing to implement disease prevention measures.
Direct district health centers to proactively monitor cases at medical facilities located in the area; conduct investigations, verify, collect samples for testing and deploy disease prevention measures...
Strengthen communication work regularly and continuously so that people know how to prevent and vaccinate their children fully and on schedule.
