80% of measles patients are unvaccinated.

Measles outbreaks are occurring in many provinces and cities. According to the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, approximately 80% of patients had not been vaccinated against measles before falling ill. This is a consequence of many parents not having their children vaccinated due to concerns following recent incidents believed to be related to vaccinations.

The number of measles patients admitted to the Infectious Diseases Department of the National Children's Hospital is surging. In just over a month, there have been 110 cases, and currently 48 are still under treatment, including 5 cases with severe complications such as high fever, pneumonia, and respiratory failure. The majority of measles patients are children who have not been vaccinated against measles, have not received all the required doses, or are not old enough to receive the vaccine.

Ms. Tran Trinh Thu, residing on Doi Can Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, whose nearly two-year-old child is being treated for measles at the National Children's Hospital, said: "My child has measles. Previously, I didn't have him vaccinated against measles because he was often sick and weak, and there had been many cases of complications after receiving the Quinvaxem vaccine, so I didn't have him vaccinated against measles, only the important shots."

Doctor Lam is examining a patient with severe complications from measles.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Lam, Deputy Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at the National Children's Hospital, it is unavoidable that children contract measles due to not being vaccinated or not being fully vaccinated. If children receive the first dose of the measles vaccine, the protection rate is nearly 90%, and after the booster dose, the protection rate reaches 99%.

Dr. Nguyen Van Lam said: "In recent years, measles outbreaks have subsided, but in the first two months of this year, the disease has flared up again. We see that the disease mostly occurs in unvaccinated patients. Of the more than 100 patients treated in the department recently, most are under 2 years old, the youngest being 2.5 months old and the oldest 8 years old. Most patients over 1 year old are unvaccinated, and many patients under 9 months old, not yet old enough to receive the measles vaccine, have contracted measles. This is also unusual in this year's measles outbreak."

Many of the patients are very young.

Measles outbreaks are also occurring and are on the rise in many localities such as Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Son La, Phu Tho, Nam Dinh, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, at least two children have died from measles, and epidemiological investigations show that approximately 80% of the patients had not been vaccinated.

Mr. Nguyen Nhat Cam, Director of the Hanoi Center for Preventive Medicine, believes that the increasing trend of measles cases is a consequence of many people not having their children vaccinated after several incidents believed to be related to vaccinations occurred recently: “If mothers do not take their children for vaccination, not only measles but also many other diseases will occur in the future. The best measure is to actively take children for vaccination at medical facilities. Measles is a benign disease. However, if not detected early, cared for, and treated promptly, it can lead to complications and death. Complications include diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis, and conjunctivitis, which can lead to blindness.”

Vaccination against measles is the most effective preventive measure. However, no vaccine provides 100% protection. When children exhibit symptoms such as fever, a measles-like rash starting on the face and spreading to the legs, respiratory tract inflammation, and conjunctivitis, parents should suspect their child has measles. They need to provide good nutritional care, reduce fever, and allow the child to rest in a cool, well-ventilated place, avoiding drafts. Antibiotics should not be used without a doctor's prescription. Especially if the child has a persistently high fever, dehydration due to diarrhea, or signs of respiratory distress or difficulty breathing, they should be immediately taken to a medical facility for examination and timely treatment.

According to VOV