A recent diphtheria outbreak in Central Quang Nam province has beensuccessfully contained with no new cases reported and those who hadsuffered from the disease recovered.

According to the Departmentof Preventative Health under the Ministry of Public Health, this is thefirst outbreak in many decades in the mountainous Phuoc Loc commune ofPhuoc Son district, claiming three lives.

The province has zoned off the area and carried out disinfectionprocedures, intensifying precautionary measures and launching intensivetreatments for patients.

The local Health Departmentteamed up with the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute to organise avaccination programme for all locals living in the vulnerable locality.

Communication campaigns were arranged to educate residents on diphtheria and basic hygienic practices.

Phuoc Loc commune is home to 23,635 people, 70 percent of whom areBh’noong ethnic minority members who subsist primarily on nomadicfarming and have limited access to health services.

Diphtheriais a dangerous respiratory disease caused by a potent toxin produced bycertain strains of the Corynebacterium diphtheria. It is extremelycontagious through coughing or sneezing. Risk factors include crowding,poor hygiene and immunisation gaps.

The disease can betreated and cured successfully with antitoxins and antibiotics if begunearly enough. Diphtheria can be prevented through vaccinations.

TheMinistry of Public Health has advised the entire community to completethe vaccination programme against diphtheria on schedule. Personnelhygiene practices and environmental sanitation efforts are alsorecommended to effectively prevent the disease.-VNA