Nghe An: Whooping cough and hand, foot and mouth disease on the rise

According to statistics from Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, the number of pediatric patients coming for examination and treatment in the past half month has increased 1.5 times compared to before. Every day, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital receives about 1,000 - 1,200 patients.

Most of the patients were hospitalized due to respiratory and digestive diseases. In particular, whooping cough, hand, foot and mouth disease, rash fever and chicken pox increased significantly.

Examining a patient with whooping cough at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. Photo: Thu Hien

From January 1, 2018 to April 14, 2018, the number of patients with whooping cough who came to the hospital for examination and treatment was 29, of which the number of patients currently being treated at the Tropical Diseases Department was 7. The number of patients with hand, foot and mouth disease who came to the hospital for examination and treatment from January 1 to now was 65, in the last two weeks it was 26, and currently being treated is 6.

Ms. Dau Thi Hoa (Quynh Van commune, Quynh Luu district), mother of baby Le Don Trung Dung said: The baby coughed a lot, mainly in the morning, had a low fever, was fussy, ate poorly, and was treated at the district hospital for nearly 2 weeks but did not improve, so she asked to transfer the baby to Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital and was admitted on April 12. The doctors diagnosed the baby with whooping cough. Previously, the baby had been vaccinated but not enough doses.

Dr. Vo Manh Hung - Deputy Head of the Department of Tropical Diseases, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital said: At the time of changing seasons, every change in humidity, temperature, and environment directly affects the respiratory system, especially for young children. Currently, whooping cough and hand, foot and mouth disease are on the rise, including many severe cases that require long-term inpatient treatment.

Whooping cough is an acute respiratory infection caused by the whooping cough bacteria (Bordetella pertussis). This bacteria is transmitted through the respiratory tract. If not treated promptly, the patient may suffer from lack of oxygen leading to many complications such as respiratory failure, pneumonia, cerebral hypoxia, encephalitis, conjunctival hemorrhage, and even death if not detected and treated early, especially in infants.

When children have symptoms such as fever, dry cough, prolonged cough, especially morning cough, they should be taken to a medical facility for treatment to avoid unnecessary complications.

At the Tropical Diseases Department, there are many children with hand, foot and mouth disease being treated. Photo: Thu Hien

Mothers should take their children to get vaccinated against whooping cough (combined vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus -DTP or combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B virus and Haemophilus influenzae type b) fully and on schedule at commune, ward, town health stations and vaccination sites in the city...

At the same time, parents and school teachers need to regularly pay attention to maintaining children's hygiene./.