The Ministry of Health has requested localities across the country workclosely with relevant sectors and organisations to implement drasticmeasures to prevent dengue and hand-foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks.

Inthe first two months of this year, increased disease incidence rateswere recorded in Ho Chi Minh City, the southern provinces of Dong Nai,An Giang, Long An, Tien Giang, Can Tho, Soc Trang, Dong Thap, Tay Ninhand Ca Mau, northern Hai Phong and Hanoi cities, and central Khanh Hoaand Da Nang province.

The ministry is warning the community of high outbreak risk for the two diseases as a result of the long-lasting humid weather.

Itstressed that vulnerable localities must take appropriate preventivemeasures, focusing on solutions to ensure environmental sanitation andexterminate mosquitoes and mosquito larva.

Local-level medicaldepartments across 63 provinces and cities were urged to closely monitorthe situation, swiftly detect cases and address disease hotbeds. Theymust also prepare equipment, facilities and medicine to serve theprevention and treatment of these diseases to curb the spread.

The education and training sector was requested to focus on containingdengue and hand-foot-and-mouth diseases in education establishments,especially nursery schools

The health sector isalso enhancing communication campaigns to raise public awareness of thediseases, especially in vulnerable areas, while interdisciplinary taskforces will work to inspect, manage and support disease prevention.-VNA