Ho Chi Minh City’s dengue cases surge 153% in first 27 weeks, 6 deaths reported

The current Ho Chi Minh City is formed by merging three localities: Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong Province, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, as part the recent major administrative restructuring in which 63 Vietnamese provinces and cities were reduced to 34 and local administrations being divided into provinces/cities and wards/communes, effective July 1.

The former Ho Chi Minh City logged 11,014 cases, up 158 percent from the same period last year.

The former Binh Duong recorded 2,494 cases, rising 145 percent year on year.

The former Ba Ria-Vung Tau saw a 122-percent year-on-year surge, with 862 cases.

The six fatalities include three deaths in the former Ho Chi Minh City, two in Binh Duong, and one in Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

The southern metropolis is now entering the peak of the rainy season, creating ideal conditions for mosquito-borne virus transmission.

Weekly case numbers are rising rapidly and spreading across wider areas.

HCDC warned that without consistent mosquito control and larval elimination, secondary transmission chains may form, placing serious pressure on healthcare services, especially pediatric hospitals and those under the former district-level administrations.

Historically, dengue outbreaks have peaked between mid-June and late August, prompting heightened vigilance during this critical period.

In response, the city’s health sector is focusing on the core strategy of prevention, early detection, and rapid containment.

Authorities emphasized that tight coordination between local administrations, the health sector, and residents will be crucial in controlling the outbreak in the coming months.

To curb the spread, the city has scaled up outbreak surveillance, hotspot assessment, and public guidance on home-based prevention measures.

Public awareness campaigns are also being strengthened across various media platforms, with the ‘Y te truc tuyen’ (online healthcare) app used to receive reports and track outbreak responses.

The municipal health authority pledged to maintain close monitoring, issue timely alerts, and enforce preventive measures to safeguard public health and reduce new infections.