Whitmore Cases in Central Vietnam Increase during Floods

The number of Whitmore cases at the Hue Central Hospital, the biggest one in central Vietnam, climbed to 11 cases from January to September and 28 from October to date while the figure hit only 83 in 2014-2019, local media reported. The central Vietnam saw a big jump in the number of the Whitmore cases in September-November, when many storms and floods occurred. Some global studies pointed out that the Whitmore cases would rise especially after floods as they will create favorable conditions for Gram-negative bacterium called Burkhoderia Pseudomallei, which causes the infectious disease Whitmore, to develop. Vietnam recorded 20 cases of Whitmore disease last year, which is equal to those reported over the last ten years, Dr. Do Duy Cuong from Hanoi-based Bach Mai hospital noted. (Bao Chinh Phu)