Illustrative photo (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Thirty-two cases of measles were recorded in Hanoi in the first threeweeks of 2019, mostly children who are under five years old and have not beenfully vaccinated.
Deputy headof the Hanoi Centre for Diseases Control Khong Minh Tuan said in mid-2018, themunicipal Health Department noticed a risk of measles infection rise.
The department then proposed to run an additional measles rubella vaccinationcampaign for children aged between 1 and 5. The campaign, starting in Novemberlast year, has to date vaccinated 574,191 out of the total 607,023 children,equaling 95 percent.
Hoang DucHanh, vice director of the department, said the disease, despite being undercontrol at the moment, can escalate at any time in the future.
Heattributed the issue to parents, who have delayed vaccinating their childrenover worries about side effects.
The firstshot against measles is supposed to take place at nine months old and thesecond shot at 18 months old, according to the Ministry of Health’s nationalimmunisation guidelines.
BetweenJanuary and August in 2018, the capital city recorded over 270 cases ofmeasles, compared to just 60 for all of 2017.
Director ofthe Hanoi Preventive Medicines Centre Nguyen Nhat Cam said that the measlescases were found across all districts in the city, not localised in one area.
He saidabout 140,000-150,000 babies are born in Hanoi per year and about 5 percent ofthe newborns are not vaccinated.-VNA
VNA
