Another Vietnamese province reports meningococcal cases as earlier outbreak site ends monitoring

Tay Ninh's health department reported on Monday that two people in the province had tested positive for meningococcal disease, both caused by serogroup B.

The first patient is a 53-year-old male factory worker residing in Binh Hiep Commune and working in Hau Nghia Commune. 

He developed a fever and convulsions on November 3 and was admitted to hospital.

He was then isolated and tested, with the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute confirming a serogroup B meningococcal infection on November 6.

Two workers sharing a room with the patient developed coughs and fevers.

They were taken to hospital for monitoring, testing and treatment, and received preventive antibiotics.

Other people who had contact with the patient were also monitored and given preventive antibiotics.

None had shown symptoms at the time of the report.

The second patient is a seven-year-old male student from Duc Hue Commune.

He developed a fever on November 3, followed by convulsions and was transferred to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.

On November 8, Tay Ninh health authorities received confirmation from the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute that he had tested positive for serogroup B meningococcal disease.

All people who had contact with the student underwent epidemiological investigations and received preventive antibiotics.

The provincial health department said it would maintain disease surveillance and strengthen early detection of suspected cases in communities and healthcare facilities.

It would also step up public communications on personal hygiene, environmental sanitation and ventilation in communal living areas.

Ca Mau ends monitoring after two meningococcal deaths

Ca Mau's Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported on Monday that it had completed health monitoring of 87 people who had contact with or were linked to two patients who died from meningococcal disease in Song Doc Commune in late October.

The first patient, from Tan Hoa Hamlet, developed chills and a cough on October 20, followed by hemorrhagic skin patches.

The patient was admitted to Ca Mau General Hospital on the morning of October 22 and diagnosed with serogroup B meningococcal disease.

The patient's condition worsened on October 23.

The family requested that the patient be taken home, where the patient died at 7:10 pm that day.

An epidemiological investigation identified 37 close contacts.

The second patient, from Rach Dinh Hamlet, Song Doc Commune, developed symptoms on the evening of October 26.

The patient was admitted to Tran Van Thoi General Hospital on October 27 in septic shock.

The patient was then transferred to Ca Mau General Hospital, where doctors confirmed a serogroup B meningococcal infection.

The patient developed multiple organ failure and died at 8:20 am on October 28.

Authorities identified 50 people who had contact with the second patient.

According to Ca Mau CDC, all 87 people completed 10 days of health monitoring from their last exposure to the two patients.

As of November 8, none had developed suspected symptoms, and no new infections had been detected.

The provincial health sector therefore ended the monitoring period in accordance with regulations.