Another case of diphtheria recorded in Bắc Giang Province

On-site quarantine area in a motel room in Bắc Giang Province. VNA/VNS Photo

BẮC GIANG — Another positive case of diphtheria in Bắc Giang Province, reported Bắc Giang Health Department on Wednesday night.

The patient is named as B.H.G, born in 1995, from the northern province of Hoà Bình and currently living in Trung Hòa Hamlet, Mai Trung Commune, Hiệp Hòa District of Bắc Giang Province.

He works at an Internet café in the district’s Trung Tâm Hamlet of Hợp Thịnh Commune. He is one of the fifteen close contacts (F1) of the patient Moong Thị B, who was the roommate of a student with diphtheria whose condition turned fatal early July 5 morning.

Upon conducting an epidemiological investigation of B.H.G’s case, authorities identified that from the night of July 2 to 5, G regularly went from his lodging to the Internet café to have dinner with patient Moong Thị B.

On July 3 and 4, G visited the Sông Quê karaoke bar in Hợp Thịnh Commune, where he sang and drank beer with three other patrons whose identities and whereabouts remain unknown, before returning to his lodging.

From July 4 to 6, G stayed in his room and did not go out.

On July 7, upon learning that Moong Thị B had tested positive (F0), G reported his epidemiological information at the Hợp Thịnh Commune Health Station and then quarantined himself in his room.

He underwent the first test on July 7, which came back negative.

Two days later, G was tested again and got positive for diphtheria.

He was then transferred to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, Đông Anh facility, in Hà Nội for treatment.

After tracing, health authorities identified seven individuals who had close contact with patient G who were among the fifteen previously identified F1 contacts and had been under medical quarantine since July 7.

Immediately after discovering the case, Bắc Giang Health Department instructed the Mai Trung Commune Health Station to disinfect G’s lodging and surrounding environment.

They also monitored the health and told his close contacts to isolate at home, as well as prescribed preventive antibiotics for seven days.

Health monitoring will continue for fourteen days from the last close contact with the confirmed case.

Additionally, the Hiệp Hòa District Health Centre intensified communication efforts about diphtheria prevention measures, the benefits of vaccination, and ensuring complete and timely vaccinations.

They reviewed the vaccination status of children in the district who had not received or had not completed the three doses of the BH-HG-UV-VGB-Hib and DPT4 vaccines, organising catch-up vaccinations during regular sessions to ensure safety. — VNS