Abnormal rise in measles in Hà Nội

HÀ NỘI — As many as 271 cases of measles have been reported in Hà Nội since the beginning of this year, compared to just 60 for all of last year.

According to Hà Nội’s Department of Health, the number of cases has increased weekly and most measles patients were children under five years old.

Most of the infected children have not been vaccinated or did not receive full vaccinations.

In some cases, newborns under nine months old who were not old enough to get the measles vaccination caught the disease because they did not receive proper measles antibodies from their mothers.

Director of Hà Nội Preventive Medicines Centre Nguyễn Nhật Cảm said that the measles cases were found across all districts in the city, not localised in one area.

He said about 140,000 – 150,000 babies were born in Hà Nội yearly and about 5 per cent of the newborns were not vaccinated.

Measles can spread easily, Cảm said, warning parents to have their children vaccinated properly.

Doctor Đặng Nhật Quang from Saint Paul Hospital said it was abnormal to see more children get measles during the summer as the peak time for measles outbreaks is usually the transition period between winter and spring. — VNS