Vietnam Health Ministry Reports Sharp Increase of Encephalitis in Jan-July

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH) reported that the country has 495 encephalitis cases with 16 deaths in the first seven months of this year, up 40 cases and 9 deaths respectively on year, the Thanh Nien newspaper reported on August 3. In July, the agency recorded 180 new cases and 3 deaths due to the virus. In addition, meningitis cases in the January-July period increased three-fold over the same period last year to 54 cases and 3 deaths. The Department of Preventive Healthcare under the Ministry warned that encephalitis and meningitis caused by virus are rarely reported but the diseases progress very quick and are easily transmitted through respiratory ways. The typical symptoms of the diseases are fever, severe headache, vomit, fatigue, sore throat, and appearance of hermorrahage, purpura, and blisters. (Thanh Nien – Young People August 3 p2)