On April 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of Vietnam’s central highlands province of Dak Lak announced the detection of a Whitmore disease case in Buon Ma Thuot city, marking the first case of its kind in this province in 2024, local media reported.
The 41-year-old male patient sought medical attention at Buon Ma Thuot University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital on March 30 and received the positive test result of Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria on April 4. On the same day, the patient was transferred to the Central Highlands General Hospital for continued treatment with a diagnosis of septic shock and urinary tract infection.
The patient said that about 20 days before admission to the hospital, he experienced fever and lower back pain. Over the past 21 days, the patient drove a truck transporting pigs from Dak Lak to Hanoi and back, hence the epidemiological factor remained unclear.
Local health authorities have monitored the disease situation in the area and enhanced communication efforts to inform residents about proactive measures to prevent Whitmore disease.
(Suc Khoe Doi Song [1], Lao Dong [2], VTV [3], baodaklak.vn [4], Bao Phap Luat [5])