HFMD cases spike across Vietnam's Mekong Delta, prompt stronger prevention measures

At Can Tho City Children’s Hospital, the region’s leading pediatric center, doctors are treating between 50 and 70 HFMD patients each day.

Since the beginning of the year, some 1,500 children have been admitted for inpatient treatment, double the number recorded during the same period last year.

Most hospitalized patients are preschool-aged children, with many severe cases involving kids under the age of three.

According to doctors, 49 children have received intensive care treatment since January, reflecting a notable elevation in severe disease.

Surveillance has identified Enterovirus A71 (EV71), a strain associated with more serious illness, in a significant number of cases.

HFMD caused by EV71 is of particular concern as it is more likely associated with severe complications.

Can Tho has recorded more than 2,660 HFMD cases so far this year, according to the municipal Center for Disease Control.

One child from Tan Loc Ward has died of the disease.

Health officials also reported a growing number of outbreak clusters, with infections detected across all 103 wards and communes in the city.

Dong Thap Province has confirmed more than 3,500 cases, including one death, representing a year-on-year rise of more than 33 percent.

Ca Mau Province has logged one of the steepest jumps, recording around 1,500 cases, up more than 149 percent year on year.

The province has also reported the death of a three-year-old boy from Vinh Loc Commune.

Dr. Huynh Hung Dung, head of the Infectious Diseases Department at Can Tho City Children’s Hospital, said HFMD outbreaks typically peak between April and May and again from September to November.

However, this year, the disease began spreading earlier, with case numbers rising from the first months of the year.

Dr. Dung noted that severe infections have also become more common.

Epidemiologists and the Ministry of Health have warned that the circulation of the EV71 strain may be contributing to the increase in serious cases.

According to the hospital’s treatment data, EV71 has been identified in roughly half of HFMD patients.

Doctors say HFMD most commonly affects children under the age of five, particularly those younger than three.

Typical symptoms include blisters on the palms, soles of the feet and buttocks, along with painful mouth ulcers.

Parents are advised to seek medical attention if children develop fever, sore throat, poor appetite or difficulty grasping objects with their hands.

Emergency medical care is recommended if children experience persistent high fever, frequent startling movements, unsteady walking, repeated vomiting or tremors, as these may indicate severe complications.

HFMD spreads through saliva, respiratory secretions, the digestive tract, and direct contact with infected individuals or contaminated objects such as toys and household items.

If left untreated, severe cases can rapidly progress to complications including encephalitis, meningitis, myocarditis and acute pulmonary edema, which may prove fatal.

Prevention measures intensified before new school year

With schools preparing to reopen in September, health authorities are urging local authorities and educational institutions to reinforce hygiene and infection control measures to prevent outbreaks among children.

Across the delta, health departments have stepped up community surveillance and instructed grassroots health facilities to improve environmental sanitation.

Disinfection campaigns are being carried out in areas where outbreaks are detected to limit further transmission.

Schools have been advised to disinfect classrooms and children's toys using chloramine B solution.

Provincial health authorities have also instructed hospitals to ensure adequate supplies of medicines, disinfectants, and medical personnel to effectively respond to a potential HFMD outbreak.