Deputy Health Minister Affirms Vietnam Manages to Curb Diphtheria

Vietnam can curb on-going diphtheria by its own measures and conditions, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son stated during his working trip to a local hospital in Dak Lak province, one of localities in the Central Highlands region with the highest number of diphtheria cases. The outbreak of diphtheria disease is attributable to not only locals’ awareness but also health and local authorities’ responsibilities, Mr. Son pointed out. The Ministry of Health has sent medical workers from some big hospitals to the region for anti-disease works and set up mobile vaccination teams to ensure the diphtheria vaccination rate of over 90% in the region. The central highlands region has so far recorded 108 diphtheria cases, including 33 in Dak Nong, 32 in Kon Tum, 25 in Gia Lai, and 18 in Dak Lak, the local Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper reported. On July 21, the central province of Quang Tri recorded the first diphtheria case, becoming the sixth locality and the first central province in Vietnam to record the disease this year to date. Local authorities have yet to find the sources of the infection case and have quarantined and treated the patient. (Tuoi Tre, Tien Phong, VnExpress, Tien Phong, Lao Dong, Tuoi Tre, PLO)