The Department of Health in Ho Chi Minh City has proposed that the municipal administration declare measles an epidemic, as cases are on the rise and three children have tragically died from the disease.

This proposal was part of an urgent report submitted to the municipal People’s Committee, seeking guidance on how to address the increasing spread of measles.

The number of suspected measles cases began to climb at the end of May, with 60 cases reported in the most recent week, according to departmental data.

Since June, three children have died from the disease, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) said.

Among the deceased were a four-month-old girl who had not yet reached the vaccination age, a three-year-old girl who had not been immunized, and a seven-year-old boy who had received two doses of the measles vaccine, the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported, citing hospitals.

All three had underlying health conditions prior to contracting measles, VOV said.

The three districts with the highest number of measles cases are Binh Chanh, Binh Tan, and Hoc Mon.

From the beginning of the year until August 4, the city recorded 505 suspected measles cases, of which 262 tested positive later.

Notably, 50 percent of the total patient count were transferred from other localities.

So far this year, there have been 116 local residents confirmed with measles, a significant spike compared to just one confirmed case in the city during the 2021-23 period.

Among these confirmed cases, 27.6 percent were children under nine months old and 78.4 percent were kids under five.

Currently, 48 wards and communes across 14 districts in the city have reported confirmed measles cases.

Of the total patients, 66 percent have not been vaccinated or have not completed the two-dose vaccination schedule, while around 30 percent have an unknown vaccination history.

In the southern region of Vietnam, 1,147 suspected measles cases were recorded in the first seven months of this year, a 5.5-fold jump compared to the previous year, with 481 cases testing positive for the disease, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute.

Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the measles virus, transmitted through the respiratory tract, and can potentially lead to an epidemic, the city’s health department said.  

Symptoms include fever, respiratory inflammation, conjunctivitis, and a rash, with serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, otitis media, corneal ulcers, and diarrhea that can be fatal.

In light of the rising cases, the HCDC has advised city authorities to initiate a measles vaccination campaign for children aged one to five years, regardless of their vaccination history, as this age group has the highest incidence of measles.

Dr. Le Hong Nga, deputy director of the HCDC, emphasized the importance of parents taking their children to medical facilities to receive both doses of the measles vaccine.

The first shot should be given at nine months and the second at 18 months, according to the recommended vaccination schedule.

The Ministry of Health has mandated that any suspected measles cases must be reported and tested for the ailment.

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