Warning of meningococcal epidemic in Thai Binh

viêm não mô cầu - Ảnh 1. — Petechiae appear in a patient with meningococcal meningitis - Illustration photo of Thai Binh CDC

As of March 26, more than 70 people in Thai Binh province are being epidemiologically monitored due to close contact with patients with meningococcal encephalitis - Thai Binh Center for Disease Control (CDC) informed.

According to Thai Binh CDC, on March 9, NTT (17 years old, An Ap commune, Quynh Phu district) had symptoms of fever, sneezing, runny nose, muscle aches and sore throat, and her family bought medicine and treated her at home. During the time of self-treatment, T. still went to school as usual.

On March 17, after returning from school, T. had symptoms of body aches and vomiting. She took medicine but it did not help. Her family took her to Quynh Phu General Hospital for examination and then transferred her to Thai Binh Provincial General Hospital.

Here, the patient was diagnosed with meningitis and monitored for septic shock. On March 18, the patient's condition worsened, with a stiff neck, and he was transferred to Bach Mai Hospital for examination and treatment.

PCR test results showed that the patient was positive for meningococcus and was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis - complications of acute myocarditis - cerebral infarction. The patient was treated with Rocephin, Glasgow 15 points, was treated stably and monitored at the intensive care unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine (Bach Mai Hospital).

Immediately after receiving information about the case, Thai Binh CDC immediately focused on monitoring, managing and implementing activities to prevent meningococcal disease in An Ap commune (Quynh Phu district; where the patient lives with his family), while closely monitoring close contacts and providing instructions on the use of prophylactic antibiotics according to regulations.

Epidemiological investigation recorded 74 cases of close contact with the patient. During the 14 days before the onset, the patient did not enter an epidemic area or have contact with a confirmed case. The patient has not been vaccinated with a meningococcal vaccine.

Currently, Thai Binh CDC is coordinating with Quynh Phu District Medical Center to closely monitor the outbreak situation and deploy activities to investigate, handle outbreaks and prevent and control diseases according to regulations.

An Ap Commune Health Station guides the patient's family and people in the epidemic area to practice good personal hygiene and clean their living places; at the same time, closely monitor close contacts and use preventive oral antibiotics.

TIEN NGUYEN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tiep-xuc-gan-voi-ca-benh-viem-nao-mo-cau-hon-70-nguoi-duoc-theo-doi-dich-te-20250326132819449.htm