Ho Chi Minh City saw a decline in the number of cases of dengue fever, measles, chicken pox, whooping cough, diarrhoea, mumps and Rubella in April compared to the first three months of the year, according to the city's Preventive Health Centre.

The number of hand-foot-mouth diseases, however, increased slightly during the period.

Despite a lower incidence of disease, the head of the centre Nguyen Tri Dung said that people should continue to take preventive measures as the hot weather promoted the spread of viruses.

Dung spoke at a monthly meeting between the municipal Department of Health and districts' health divisions.

The city had a total of 496 dengue fever cases in April, a drop of 35 percent compared to March.

Chicken pox and mumps outbreaks did not occur at kindergartens or primary schools, he added.

In April, the city recorded 631 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease, an increase of 14 percent compared to March. The peak season for the disease is near, he said.

He urged parents to have their children vaccinated and ensure adequate hygiene.

If they show symptoms of disease, the children should be taken to the hospital for treatment and examination. And they should stay at home to avoid transmitting the virus to other children, he said.

Nguyen Thi Huynh Mai, deputy head of the city's Food Safety and Hygiene Division, said the hot weather created favourable conditions for harmful bacteria in food.

People should eat well-cooked food and boil tap water, she said.

She has asked districts' preventive-health centres to conduct inspections and take samples of food from school and factory canteens for testing. Bottled water will also be tested for contamination as well.-VNA