Vietnam’s Doctors Warn of Seasonal Outbreaks

Vietnamese doctors have warned of possible outbreaks of seasonal diseases such as pinkeye, viral fever and respiratory tract infections. The Pediatrics Hospital has recorded more than 30,000 patients this month. It sees an average of 3,000 children patients a day, approximately 25% higher than normal. The young patients are often reported to suffer respiratory diseases, as well as pneumonia, gastrointestinal disease, viral fever and dengue fever. Similarly, the Pediatrics Department of Bach Mai Hospital has lately received an increased number of patients for the treatment of respiratory diseases. It has reported receiving about 400-500 patients per day, with more than half of them suffering diseases related to respiratory problems and viral fever. Many children have been hospitalized several times in a short time because of re-infection. Doctors of the two hospitals explained that the reason behind the increasing number of pediatric patients was because the weather in the North was in a transition period with hot weather in the daytime and chilly weather at night that reduced the resistance of children. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive Medicine has warned that erratic weather would enable bacteria that cause pinkeye disease. From mid-August until now, the number of patients diagnosed and treated for pinkeye at hospitals in Hanoi has reportedly increased and exceeded normal days. (http://baodansinh.vn Sept 20)