The nation has recorded nearly 40,000 suspected measles cases and five measles-related deaths since the beginning of 2025.
Vietnam’s Health Ministry (MOH) believes that the number of suspected measles cases will continue to increase nationwide.
In particular, high-risk areas such as mountainous provinces, where many ethnic groups live, have limited access to health services, and localities with low vaccination rates are the most susceptible to outbreaks.
Hoang Minh Duc, director of the Department of Disease Prevention under the MOH, said that the southern region recorded the highest number of cases (57%), the Central region accounted for 19.2%, the north 15.1%, and the Central Highlands 8.7%.
The suspected measles cases are mainly in children from nine months to under 15 years old with 72.7%, while the rate of infection in children under nine months old is 15.3%.
Duc assessed that the current measles vaccination rate nationwide was still low, and community immunity did not reach the needed level. In some provinces, the vaccination rate was only 40%.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued Official Dispatch No. 23, requesting to accelerate vaccinations against measles.
The prime minister asked the MOH to direct and support localities to conduct a nationwide measles vaccination campaign and complete it no later than the end of this month.
The MOH has directed medical facilities to strictly receive and treat patients with measles and suspected cases, and is coordinating with the Finance Ministry to ensure adequate and timely funding for the measles vaccination campaign. — Vietnam News/ANN
