Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have put together 12 rapid response teams to implement control and prevention measures against measles following reports of cases in several schools.

Data from the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) showed that five elementary schools in four districts have been hit by measles outbreaks, with each reporting at least two confirmed cases just after the first week of the new school year, which formally started on September 5, highlighting the need for timely detection and quick response.

Aside from efforts to enhance the measles vaccination coverage, the formation of rapid response teams is aimed at effectively containing measles outbreaks in schools where large groups of students could increase the risk of transmission.

According to the city’s Department of Health, each rapid response team is composed of 2-3 members from HCDC and one member from major hospitals like the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Children’s Hospital 1, Children’s Hospital 2, or Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Hospital.

The teams will be responsible for monitoring disease progression and issuing guidelines for schools and local medical stations to implement preventive measures.

The health department urged strict adherence to measles prevention and control protocols across educational facilities to protect public health.

A school’s health staff must immediately report any case of probable or confirmed measles to the head of the medical station in their place after detection.

The medical station leader will then assess the report and dispatch healthcare workers to the school for investigation and response.

If a measles outbreak is detected in the school, a rapid response team will be deployed to the affected school where the team will coordinate with local health workers to curb the spread of the disease.

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