Binh Duong faces Rubella outbreak
(VOV) - The cause of a Rubella virus outbreak sweeping Binh Duong province has not as yet been determined, but initial suspicions point to crowded living conditions, poor hygiene and lack of immunisation.
The Department of Preventive Medicine said on January 26 that since the beginning of the year, the My Phuoc industrial zone in Binh Duong had recorded the highest number of new cases, 29, with another 109 suspected, making it the worst affected province in the country.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Rubella as a highly contagious viral disease affecting mostly children, and that it can be effectively prevented by immunization.
Swollen lymph glands behind the ears and in the neck are the most characteristic clinical feature. A rash also develops, starting on the face and upper neck and gradually spreads over the body.
Rubella and related measles viruses cause the death of hundreds of thousands of children throughout the world annually.
However, the WHO said on its website that most people recover in two to three weeks, however, particularly in malnourished children and people with reduced immunity, measles can cause serious complications including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, ear infection and pneumonia.
From September 2014, the Ministry of Health has carried out a campaign to vaccinate 24 million children aged 1 to 14 across the country, free of charge, in 63 provinces. So far 17 million children have been vaccinated.
The Department of Preventive Medicine has issued a strong warning to prevent contracting the rubella virus by obtaining a vaccination and prevent its transmission by isolating patients who have contracted it and practicing good hygiene.