Hand-foot-mouth infections hike in southern Vietnam, at least 7 dead

HANOI, Vietnam - Vietnam's southern region is witnessing a spike in the number of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) infections among children with at least seven deaths reported so far this year, local media reported on Tuesday.

The region also sees an increasing number of patients in serious condition, local newspaper Vietnam News reported.

Twenty cities and provinces in the region have so far this year recorded around 11,000 cases, mostly caused by the Enterovirus 71 (EV71) virus, which can lead to severe complications and death, the newspaper cited the Institut Pasteur in HCM City.

HCM City and Binh Duong, Dong Nai, An Giang, and Kien Giang provinces have seen a hike in infections and severe cases in the past few weeks.

Although the number of infections in HCM City has reduced 53 percent year-on-year, the number of severe cases increased, according to the city's Department of Health.

Local hospitals' drug supplies also face a hit due to the surge in cases. Paediatrics hospitals in the south are facing a lack of drugs for treating severe HFMD cases like gamma globulin and phenobarbital - XINHUA