Hand, foot, and mouth disease cases surge in Vietnam

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) cases are rising sharply in Ho Chi Minh City, with medical professionals reporting an increase in severe cases among children. At Children's Hospital 1, the Infectious Diseases and Neurology Department is currently treating approximately 50 inpatients, 65% of whom traveled from other provinces. Among these, 16 patients are classified as severe and require intensive monitoring. Doctors note that the number of cases is trending upward and may continue to increase in the coming week.

In response to the outbreak and the lack of specific curative drugs, the VNVC vaccination system has reported administering 25,000 doses of the HFMD vaccine within five days of its rollout. The vaccine has seen high demand across nearly 300 centers nationwide, with over 80% of parents opting to book full vaccination schedules for their children to prevent complications and reinfection.