The Preventive Health Centre in Ho Chi Minh City called on residentsto remain highly vigilant over prevalent diseases such as dengue andchickenpox, even though most of the diseases are on the decline atpresent.

According to Doctor Nguyen Tri Dung,Director of the centre, the city has recorded 496 cases of dengue feverin April, down 35 percent against the month prior, with eight districtsreporting over 50 percent reductions such as Binh Thanh and Binh Tan.

In the first three months of this year, the cityreported a number of chickenpox and mumps cases at primary and nurseryschools. However, so far this month, the disease has been contained andno new cases have been reported.

In April, the cityrecorded 631 hand-foot-mouth disease incidents, up 14 percent fromMarch. Though the number of such cases increased in the month, it isstill within normal ranges. So far this year, the city has had 2,139hand-foot-mouth cases, down 28 percent over the same period last year.

Though the diseases are likely to continue to reduce,the health sector warned city dwellers not to neglect the issue sincethe prolonged hot weather presents favourable conditions for viruses andbacteria to thrive.

They advised the community to maintain personal hygiene and environmental sanitation, and wash hands regularly with soap.

The municipal Preventive Health Centre will work with relevantdepartments and sectors to hold a mosquito-killing campaign in June inresponse to the ASEAN Dengue Day (June 15).

Simultaneously, the heath sector will work to control dengue andhand-foot-mouth in districts with elevated rates of diseases.-VNA