Meningitis virus detected in Nghe An

In April 2021, many children in Nghe An province had to be hospitalized for treatment due to viral meningitis. Photo: Hoang Yen

Information from Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control: After monitoring the infection situationviral meningitisand providing professional support to Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, on the morning of April 23, the unit took 4 samples of 4 children aged 8-13 being treated here and sent them to the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for testing. Among these 4 patients, 2 are in Vinh city, 1 is in Thanh Chuong district and 1 is in Nghi Loc district. The samples include cerebrospinal fluid and feces.

Through isolating samples and testing many dangerous virus strains with negative results, the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology continued to classify and test other virus strains and discovered that ¾ of the samples were positive for the intestinal virus Echovirus-4.

On April 27, the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology announced the results to the Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control. It is expected that after the April 30-May 1 holiday, there will be an official test result response form.

Enterovirus 4 (Echovirus 4) is a strain that can cause meningitis in people of all ages. Enterovirus 4 meningitis is rarely fatal in people with normal immune systems. Symptoms usually last 7 to 10 days and are self-limiting and resolve completely.

Previously, in March-April 2021, hundreds of people were infected in Nghe An.meningitisdue to the virus. Every day, dozens of people have to be hospitalized for treatment. On April 22, Nghe An Department of Health issued Document No. 1387/SYT-NVY on strengthening encephalitis prevention to districts, cities, towns,Department of Education and Training, medical units in the industry.

To prevent meningitis caused by the intestinal virus Echovirus-4, Nghe An Department of Health recommends that all people improve personal hygiene, home hygiene, and school hygiene; practice good food hygiene; disinfect domestic water with Cloramin B. When symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, stiff neck appear, etc., immediately go to medical facilities for examination and treatment./.