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On September 15, the Vietnam Department of Preventive Medicine said that according to information about the situation of infectious diseases in localities, the situation of pink eye is currently on the rise in some provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

conjunctivitis
Image/P33tr at English Wikipedia

Preliminary statistics from  the National Eye Hospital in Hanoi show that in recent weeks, an average of about 700 cases of pink eye (also known as conjunctivitis) have been examined. On average, for every 100 examinations, there are about 30 cases of pink eye. Last week alone, there were 800 cases, including some cases of complications due to pink eye.

In Ho Chi Minh City, at the press conference providing information on socio-economic issues and disease prevention in the area on the afternoon of September 14, Mr. Nguyen Hai Nam, Deputy Chief of Office of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Chi Minh said that according to records from the Department of Health, the number of cases of pink eye examined at hospitals in the City has increased compared to recent years. Statistics show that the total number of conjunctivitis (pink eye) cases in the city recorded on September 13 was 3,840 cases, down 114 cases compared to September 12 (cases with addresses in the city accounted for 86.9%); including 2,238 cases in children under 16 years old (an increase of 253 cases compared to September 12).

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According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, pink eye  is an eye infection, usually caused by bacteria or viruses or due to an allergic reaction, with the characteristic symptom of red eyes. The disease often begins suddenly, first in one eye and then spreads to the other eye. 

Pink eye is very easy to catch, easily spread in the community and cause epidemics. To date, there is no vaccine to prevent the disease, no specific treatment, and people who have had pink eye can still get infected again after only a few months of recovery.

5 recommendations you need to know to prevent pink eye

To proactively prevent and control pink eye, the Department of Preventive Health recommends that people take the following measures:

1. Regularly wash your hands with soap and clean water; Do not raise your hand to rub your eyes, nose, or mouth; Do not share personal items such as: eye drop bottles, towels, eyeglasses, masks, etc.

2. Clean your eyes, nose, and throat every day with saline, regular eye drops, and nose drops.

3. Use soap or common antiseptic substances to disinfect the patient’s utensils and belongings.

4. Limit contact with people who are sick or suspected of having pink eye.

5. Patients or people suspected of having pink eye need to limit contact with others and go to a medical facility for timely examination, consultation, and treatment. Do not self-treat without instructions from a medical professional.