Doctors warn of abnormal rise in chickenpox cases this summer
VOV.VN - The Hanoi Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that the number of chickenpox cases is showing signs of rising these days, with 33 new cases detected in the capital city last week.
Since the beginning of the year, Hanoi has recorded 1,911 chickenpox cases, marking an increase of 11.5 times over the same period from last year.
Bach Mai Hospital, the largest general polyclinic in the north of Vietnam, recently endured a rise in chickenpox cases, including severe patients and even two fatalities.
As normal, chickenpox cases tend to rise in spring. However, the disease has abnormally increased over recent weeks.
Chickenpox is a contagious disease that is caused by varicella-zoster virus and is capable of affecting people of all ages.
It is typically spread from person to person via direct contact and can also be spread through saliva and daily practices, such as sharing utensils.
It takes seven to 21 days after exposure to the virus for someone to develop symptoms, including a mild fever, a running nose, a cough, a headache, fatigue, a loss of appetite, and an itchy red rash which covers the body with fluid-filled blisters.
Healthcare specialists therefore advise chickenpox patients to take a bath as normal, regularly wash their hands with soap, refrain from sharing utensils with others, and keep their houses and workplaces clean.