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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Vietnam : New epidemics threaten South

Article via Vietnam News, excerpt :

" Flu, diarrhoea, dengue fever and hand-foot – mouth disease (HFMD) were the most prevalent among 28 infectious diseases found in the nation's southern region last year, health officials said at a meeting yesterday.

Speaking at a conference held at the HCM City Pasteur Institute to review infectious diseases prevention work carried out last year, they also said that this year, bird flu with A/H5N1 virus, and meningococcal disease have appeared as new threats.

In 20 southern provinces last year, the HCM City Pasteur Institute recorded 290,182 influenza infections, 187,576 diarrhoea patients, 67,396 HFMD cases, including 145 fatalities, and 60,418 dengue fever cases, including 59 deaths.

Most of the HFMD cases were found in southeastern area, especially the places with crowded populations such as HCM City and Dong Nai.

The reported cases of diarrhoea reduced nearly 21 per cent last year in comparison with 2010. Most of the infections were found in Dong Thap, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Ben Tre and Soc Trang provinces.

No patient tested positive for the H5N1 virus last year, according to the institute. Early this year, the disease claimed two deaths.

Swine flu claims 11 deaths

Among the infectious diseases that killed several people last year, the influenza A/H1N1 virus, or swine flu, was still spreading in some areas of Viet Nam, but it was not as serious as when it first appeared on May 30, 2009."

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