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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Vietnam sees surge in childhood virus

From a Google News hosted AFP report, excerpt :

" Vietnam is seeing an "alarming rise" in deaths from a common childhood virus which has killed 11 babies and infants and sickened more than 15,000 others, the Red Cross said Tuesday.

In the first three months of 2012 the infection rate of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) was seven times higher than the same period last year, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent.

"It is vital that this disease be brought under control as its victims -- small children -- are some of the most vulnerable," IFRC Vietnam representative, Bhupinder Tomar, said in a statement.

There is no specific treatment for the common disease, which typically causes little more than a fever and rash, but the risk of catching it is greatly reduced through good hygiene practices. No vaccine exists."

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