Long An (VNA) – Over 29,100 people in the Mekong Delta province of Long An got measles jabs in the two rounds of immunisation campaign from October 16 - 22 at schools and in the community; and from October 27-31 at health stations, topping 72% of the set plan, according to Direcওtor of the provincial Department of Health Huynh Minh Phuc.

Those vaccinated are children aged 1 - 10, including transient living and studying in Long An, and healthcare workers and those at risk of contracting the disease at public/private healthcare facilities, who have not received the full two doses of measles vaccines. As many as 737 vaccination points were organised in 188 communes, wards, and towns of 15 districts, townships and Tan An city, and hospitals, medical centres and health stations qualified for vaccination.

The vaccine used in the campaign is the combined measles-rubella produced by the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals, which is available in vials of 10 doses, in lyophilised form with a diluent provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Long An has been supplied with 47,000 doses for the campaign. As of mid-September 2024, in Long An, 230 suspected measles cases with fever and rash had been monitored. Among these, 94 cases tested positive, reported in 52 communes, wards, and towns in 14 districts and Tan An city that have not been vaccinated against measles. Four measles outbreaks were detected in the districts of Duc Hoa and Ben Luc.

The results of measles risk assessment in the 63 localities nationwide in accordance with WHO’s recommendations indicate that Long An is one of the seven localities with high risk, so the campaign primarily focuses on children who have not received the full two doses to prevent a widespread outbreak of measles in the locality, Phu said. Long An is working hard to increase the rate of measles immunity in the community, proactively prevent epidemics, and reduce the incidence and mortality rates caused by measles, he noted./.