On the evening of October 17, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that four group B meningococcal infection cases had been recorded at Hai Ba Trung Secondary School in Hiep Phuoc Commune as of the afternoon.
The fourth patient is a 12-year-old boy who studies at the school and had close contact with one of the three previously identified patients.
Fourth infection case
The student had close contact with a patient on October 13. He developed a fever of 40°C, headache, sore throat and muscle aches on October 15, followed by scattered spots of bleeding under the skin.
At the school’s recommendation, he was admitted to Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases at 6 p.m. that day. Doctors monitored him for sepsis and meningococcal meningitis while also distinguishing the condition from dengue fever and influenza. He is being treated in an isolation ward.
A blood PCR test on October 16 confirmed group B meningococcal infection. The student also tested positive for influenza B. He is conscious, his vital signs are stable, and he continues to receive antibiotics and medical care.
As of the afternoon of October 17, four group B meningococcal infection cases had therefore been confirmed at Hai Ba Trung Secondary School.
According to the Department of Health, Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases had admitted 23 students from the school with respiratory symptoms by the morning of October 17.
In addition to the four meningococcal infection cases, tests found influenza A/H1 in four students and influenza B in four others. One student with influenza B also had meningococcal infection, while another had both influenza A and B. The report said the condition of 22 students was stable.
On October 15, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control collected 21 throat and nasal swabs from students with respiratory symptoms at the school. Twelve samples tested positive for rhinovirus or seasonal influenza viruses.
The health sector said the results were consistent with an increase in seasonal influenza-related respiratory illness in the community, an issue the Department of Health had warned about the previous week.
However, the presence of respiratory viruses among many students does not reduce the need to closely monitor people who had close contact with meningococcal infection patients. The disease is dangerous, can progress rapidly and requires timely detection and treatment.
Monitoring close contacts
After receiving information about a patient with fulminant meningococcal infection who was admitted to Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases on October 14, the health sector began preventive antibiotic treatment for close contacts. It also organized cleaning and disinfection throughout the school.
The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, the local health station and the school compiled a list of people who had close contact with confirmed patients. Close contacts who develop fever, sore throat or headache are referred to Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The school also advised parents to take children to a medical facility if they develop a fever.
So far, apart from the four confirmed cases, no close contact with clinical symptoms suggesting this disease has been identified.
The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control continues to work with the local health station and the school to review and add people who had close contact with the fourth patient, while closely monitoring all contacts in the cluster under Ministry of Health guidance.
As respiratory illnesses rise, with seasonal influenza commonly detected, alongside the meningococcal cluster at the school, Ho Chi Minh City health officials urged residents and parents to stay calm and take preventive measures.
Health officials recommend meningococcal and influenza vaccination after consulting a medical provider, regular handwashing, covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing, and not sharing cups or water bottles. Schools and homes should be kept clean and well ventilated. Students with respiratory symptoms should stay home, rest and be monitored.
The health sector also asked residents not to stigmatize patients or close contacts, spread unverified information or rely on anything other than official updates.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said it would continue appropriate control measures, provide timely updates and coordinate with relevant agencies to protect students, teachers and the community.
Sources: Dân Trí
