Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung issued a message on Tuesday calling for more effort in preventing the spread of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and dengue fever, which have killed six people so far this year. To date, HFMD, a contagious viral illness, has struck more than 17,400 people nationwide and killed two of them, the PM noted in this message. Although both the number of patients and death toll are lower compared to the same period last year, the epidemic tends to spread widely, the message said.  Meanwhile, more than 8,000 cases of dengue fever have been recorded in the country so far this year, claiming four lives. In Hanoi, the number of patients with dengue fever in the first four months increased by 13 percent year on year, the Hanoi Preventive Health Center reported.    The PM requests that the Ministry of Health and authorities of all provinces and cities take effective measures to put HFMD and dengue under control, curbing their spread. According to the Ministry of Health, while the measles epidemic is slowing down, there is a risk of HFMD and dengue breakouts, according to their cyclical appearance.  HFMD is characterized by fever and a rash most frequently seen on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and inside the mouth, the health ministry said. The department has recently released the following advisories: the disease can be transmitted through digestive tracts; there are no vaccines or specific medicines to cure the disease; children under five years old are most vulnerable; and the main preventive measure is following hygienic practices in eating, drinking, and living. Meanwhile, dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. Regarding the measles epidemic, the ministry reported that two more patients with measles died on Tuesday, taking the death toll of the disease since it recurred in Vietnam late last year to 135.

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