Recently, the number of pediatric patients seeking examination and treatment at Ha Tinh Provincial General Hospital has increased sharply compared to the same period last month. In particular, the Pediatric Department is seeing a rapid increase in the number of children infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). On average, the unit receives 15-20 children with RSV each day. In September alone, more than 160 children were hospitalized, many of whom developed severe symptoms, including pneumonia and requiring respiratory support.
In practice, treatment shows that many parents easily mistake RSV infection for the common cold. For example, in the case of baby NHL (5 months old, Toan Luu commune), initially she only had a cough, runny nose, and mild fever. Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh (the baby's mother) shared: “In the first few days, when we saw our child coughing and having a runny nose, we thought she just had the common cold, so we weren't too worried. It wasn't until she showed unusual respiratory symptoms that we really became concerned and took her to the hospital.” Fortunately, baby L. was diagnosed with RSV and received timely emergency treatment, so her health is now gradually stabilizing.
According to medical specialists, the RSV virus typically begins with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, or a slight fever. In young children, the virus can quickly attack the lower respiratory tract, causing bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and respiratory failure. The virus spreads rapidly through respiratory droplets and direct contact with the secretions of infected individuals. As the disease progresses, children may experience frequent coughing, wheezing, rapid breathing, poor feeding, and fatigue. Importantly, there is currently no specific treatment for RSV. Therefore, early detection and timely medical attention are crucial, especially if the child shows signs of worsening condition.
According to the Ha Tinh Provincial Center for Disease Control, from July 1, 2026 to the present, the province has recorded 435 cases of RSV in children under 15 years old. This development necessitates strengthening preventive measures, especially in schools and communities.
Besides the RSV virus, hand, foot, and mouth disease is also increasing significantly in Ha Tinh province as students begin the new school year. Since the beginning of July 2026, the province has recorded 61 cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease in children.
Upon discovering her child had a fever, a rash, and was refusing to eat, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang (Cam Xuyen commune) immediately took her child, TMK, to the doctor. Ms. Hang said: “The family was very worried because many children near our house also had hand, foot, and mouth disease. As soon as we saw our child showing unusual symptoms, we immediately took her to the hospital, and the doctors diagnosed her with hand, foot, and mouth disease. Thanks to proper treatment and care, her condition has improved significantly.”
Health experts warn that hand, foot, and mouth disease spreads rapidly through the digestive tract, saliva, and contaminated objects. The disease typically begins with fever, sore throat, and loss of appetite, followed by blisters on the hands, feet, and around the mouth. Notably, many children only have hidden lesions in the throat or groin, making them easy for parents to overlook. Although most recover on their own, the disease still carries the risk of sudden worsening, causing dangerous neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory complications.
Besides RSV and hand, foot, and mouth disease, Ha Tinh province is currently recording many cases of seasonal influenza, Adenovirus, COVID-19, measles, whooping cough, etc., among children. The simultaneous circulation of multiple virus strains under erratic weather conditions, coupled with the weak immune systems of children, is the main reason for the increased risk of infection.
Given the complex and worrying epidemic situation, many parents still maintain the habit of buying medicine (especially antibiotics) to treat their children at home without taking them to the doctor. Self-treatment or improper monitoring leads to many children being brought to the hospital when their condition has become very serious, making treatment difficult.
Dr. Duong Van Giap, Deputy Head of the Pediatrics Department at Ha Tinh Provincial General Hospital, emphasized: “Young children, especially those under 3 months old or with underlying medical conditions, have very weak immune systems, so the risk of severe complications is significantly higher. Parents need to closely monitor any changes in their child's health. As soon as they see a child with a prolonged high fever, difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, wheezing, cyanosis, lethargy, refusal to breastfeed, poor appetite, or frequent vomiting, they must take the child to a medical facility immediately for examination and timely treatment.”
In parallel with advising families, healthcare facilities in Ha Tinh are also proactively tightening infection control measures. The classification and monitoring of pediatric patients are strictly implemented from the admission stage to eliminate the risk of cross-infection of viruses within the hospital environment, ensuring maximum safety for young children.
According to information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Ha Tinh province, from July 1st to the present, several infectious diseases among children under 15 years old have been on the rise in Ha Tinh. Specifically, the province has recorded 435 cases of RSV, 82 cases of COVID-19, 61 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, 7 cases of measles, and 2 cases of whooping cough.
According to Mr. Nguyen Chi Thanh, Director of the Ha Tinh CDC, besides early detection of abnormal signs, maintaining good hygiene at home is the most sustainable "filter" for preventing disease in children. In particular, parents should absolutely not self-medicate their children, especially with antibiotics, without a doctor's prescription. Complacency or the habit of self-treating at home can cause the disease to silently worsen without timely intervention. In the coming time, the Ha Tinh CDC will continue to closely monitor the disease situation, coordinating with localities and medical facilities to detect and handle cases promptly, limiting community spread.
The Health Department of Ha Tinh Province recommends the following disease prevention measures for children:
- Ensure full and timely vaccination: Proactively take your children for all necessary vaccinations according to current guidelines, especially for infectious diseases for which vaccines are available.
- Strictly adhere to the "three clean" rules (clean food - clean living environment - clean hands): wash hands frequently with soap, maintain personal hygiene, and keep the living environment well-ventilated and clean.
- Control the source of infection from caregivers: prevent children from having close contact with people who are coughing, have a fever, or have respiratory infections. Adults need to practice good personal hygiene, washing their hands thoroughly after returning from outside before hugging, kissing, or caring for children.
- Timely isolation when ill: When children show signs of infectious diseases, they should be kept home from school and strict infection control measures should be implemented according to the guidelines of the health facility, absolutely preventing the spread of the disease in schools and the community.
Source: https://baohatinh.vn/gia-tang-benh-truyen-nhiem-o-tre-nganh-y-te-khuyen-cao-phong-ngua-post318122.html
