In a follow-up on the diphtheria outbreak in Vietnam, National health authorities are now reporting 198 diphtheria cases since the beginning of this year.
This compares to 41 cases during the same period in 2019.
Of the 198 cases, 172 cases have been reported in the Central Highland region, 22 cases in central provinces and four cases in southern provinces.
Four deaths have been reported. Of the 198 cases, 161 were unvaccinated.
Dang Quang Tan, head of the Health Ministry’s General Department of Preventive Medicine, said, “Most diphtheria outbreaks occur in remote disadvantaged areas that are home to ethnic groups, and they are usually unwilling to have vaccinations.”
Tan warned more diphtheria cases could be recorded and in areas where the vaccination program had failed to reach.
5 Vaccine preventable diseases in the US: Then and now
- Rabies: Two additional deaths in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Salmonella outbreak linked to pet bearded dragons
- Parasites: PATH receives grant to combat soil-transmitted helminth infections
- Novel Orthopoxvirus Infection reported in Fairbanks woman, 2nd known ‘Alaskapox’ case
- Monkeypox in DRC: Cases in 2020 higher than previous years
- AMA Urges Vaccinations as Flu Season Comes Clashing into the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Cryptosporidium treatment: Repurposed anti-malarial compounds kill parasite, study finds
- Taiwan: Additional local transmission of dengue fever
