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Children’s Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City said that doctors had tried to save a case of suspected hand, foot and mouth disease, but the condition was too severe and the child died on May 31. 

Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD)
Image/shawn c

Children’s Hospital 1 also said that in the first 5 months of 2023, the hospital received 1,349 outpatient treatments, 158 inpatients for hand, foot and mouth disease.

To date,  statistics show that the number of hand, foot and mouth disease has not increased compared to 2022, but the number of severe patients has increased over the same period, there have been 5 severe cases (including 2 cases in Ho Chi Minh City and 3 cases in the provinces), including the death mentioned above.

At the Center for Tropical Diseases – National Children’s Hospital, in the first 3 months of the year, there were more than 100 cases of children being hospitalized due to hand, foot and mouth disease. Most cases are mild. However, in some cases, the disease has a rapid, severe course and causes dangerous complications.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is mainly caused by the Coxsackievirus A16 virus with few complications and usually resolves on its own. However, this disease can also be caused by Enterovirus viruses, including Enterovirus 71 (EV71) with many dangerous complications and can lead to death.

Hand, foot and mouth disease mainly occurs in children under 10 years of age, usually in children under 5 years of age. The younger the child, the more severe the symptoms. However, everyone who has never had the disease is at risk of infection through contact with contaminated utensils or surfaces touched by an infected person, but not everyone infected with the virus will show symptoms.

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Children are at higher risk of contracting viruses and getting sick because they have weaker resistance and immunity than adults. Most adults are immune, but infections in adolescents and adults are not uncommon.

Currently, there is no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease. When sick, the patient should drink a lot of water and can take medicine to treat symptoms such as reducing fever or reducing pain caused by ulcers. The risk of infection can be reduced with regular hygiene measures and prompt medical intervention when an infected person has severe symptoms.