Doctors in Ho Chi Minh City have confirmed that an eight-month old baby has died of Hand, Foot and Mouth disease (HFMD), the first death from HFMD in the city this year.

>> HFMD may reach epidemic level in Vietnam hub this year The deceased baby, Tran Bao Chau, from the city’s Tan Phu District, came down with a fever on September 17, and was taken to a private doctor, who diagnosed a sore throat and prescribed medication, Chau’s parents said. Two days later, the fever remained, and the baby was vomiting, so her parents took her to another private doctor, who said the baby was suffering from pharyngitis, adding that Chau had also contracted inflammatory bowel disease. On September 20, Chau fell into critical condition and was taken to the Pediatrics Hospital 2, where Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Anh conducted a blood test and concluded that the baby had an acute sore throat. Her parents said the doctors discharged Chau after asking them to watch her carefully in case signs of HFMD appeared. After returning home, Chau continued to suffer from fever, had difficulty breathing, and pale skin, so her parented rushed to the Viet Phuoc General Clinic in Binh Tan District for emergency treatment. At 2:30 pm the same day, Chau was transferred to Pediatrics Hospital 1 while in a coma, along with a cardiovascular collapse. She died soon after. Doctors at the hospital concluded that Chau had died of Level 3 HFMD.

After the cause of death was determined, health workers in Tan Phu Ward disinfected the baby’s house to prevent the spread of the pathogen. They also distributed Chloramin B to surrounding houses for sterilization. This is the first HFMD death among roughly 6,700 cases in the city this year, said the city Preventive Health Center. 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, doctors said. In Vietnam, the most common strain is Enterovirus 71 (EV-71), which causes sores in the mouth and blisters on the hands and feet, they added.

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