VietNamNet Bridge – Hand-foot-mouth disease is fiercely attacking children in HCM City, reported local children’s hospitals.

According to Thanh Nien newspaper dated today, September 14, Children’s Hospital No.1 is now flooded with children infected with this disease.

The hospital is treating 50 children, including 17 with mental complications. Patients with minor symptoms are staying in rooms near the hospital in case the disease gets more serious, at which point they could be quickly brought to the hospital.

According to Doctor Truong Huu Khanh, Director of the Infection – Neurology Department of the Children’s Hospital No.1, this disease has broken out strongly in recent days and up to 60% of children hospitalised from the disease are in HCM City. In recent days, the hospital receives more than ten children each day because of this disease while the number of children examined and outpatients is much higher.

Doctor Phan Van Nghiem from the HCM City Department of Health said that nearly 900 children in HCM City have been infected with this disease so far this year.

Local health officials worry as this is the time for children to begin a new school year and the disease will easily spread in schools and kindergartens.

The HCM City Department of Health has asked for help from the local Department of Education and Training to prevent the disease from spreading in schools.

This disease, according to doctor Khanh, often attacks children under 5 years old and it can quickly spread in a crowded environment.

Hand-foot-mouth disease is usually most prevalent during two periods in a year: from February to April and from October to December.

Tu An