Over 1,100 people are currently being treated for measles in Hanoi, a ten-fold increase compared to the same time last year.
According to Hanoi’s Department of Health, 89 individuals contracted the virus during the first week of May, SGGP reports.
Last summer, authorities warned a potential measles outbreak looming in the city. Hanoi previously experienced a measles outbreak in 2014, when 1,700 infections left 14 people dead.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus, marked by symptoms including a high fever, dry cough, runny eyes and a sore throat. It is estimated that more than 7,000 children in the city have not been immunized against the virus.
Nguyen Nhat Cam, director of Hanoi’s Preventative Medicine Center, has previously urged local parents to take their children to medical centers to be vaccinated. Cam also stated that women hoping to conceive should ensure their vaccinations are up to date.
The issue is not only affecting the capital. In February this year, it was reported that measles has hit 43 provinces across the country.
While measles is treatable, one fatality was reported in Hanoi in 2017. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, 2.6 million people are killed by measles annually worldwide.
[Top photo via UNICEF]
