Hano​i (VNA) - The first cold spell of winter in the northernregion has brought with it an increase in sicknesses like measles, mumps, fluand chicken pox, local reports say.

In recent days, the number of patients seeking hospital treatmentfor such diseases has gone up. While these are not serious health hazards inmost cases, not abiding by the doctors’ advice and instructions can lead tocomplications.

At one of the largest hospitals in the country, Bach Mai Hospitalin Hanoi, a 35-year-old woman from Nam Tu Liem district, was seen last weekwith fever, headache and swelling of the parotid gland (between the ear and thejaw) that she’d been suffering for a week.

However, as is a common practice in Vietnam, assuming that hersymptoms were nothing to worry about, she chose to self-medicate withantibiotics. She only visited the hospital after five days, when the medicinesproved futile and she started vomiting and getting splitting headaches.

The hospital inspected her cerebrospinal fluid and concluded thatthe patient was suffering from viral meningitis. Previously, her five-year-oldchild and her husband had both caught mumps.

Dr Do Duy Cuong said that the general population still thinks thatmeasles are a “children’s disease”.

He said: “It’s true that those children who have not been givenimmunisation shots are at elevated risk, but any adult who has not beenvaccinated remains just as vulnerable.”

Even though under most circumstances, measles or mumps are ‘mildcontagious illnesses,’ failure to get professional treatment and ensure propercare can turn out to be quite dangerous, Cuong warned, adding that anyone whohas doubts about his or her symptoms should immediately go to the hospital.

According to the municipal health department, in recent weeks, thecity has recorded another nine cases of rashes breaking out, of which threehave tested positive for measles. Since the beginning of this year, the numberof measles cases seen is 66 (including one death), an increase of 64 cases overlast year. The number of cases reported in October alone accounted for 46 percentof the year’s total figure.

Nguyen Nhat Cam, head of the health department, said the speed atwhich measles spreads is considered to be faster than dengue fever, which sawits worst outbreak since 2014 a few months ago.

The cold weather with the likelihood of rains makes for “idealconditions” for the disease to flare up, he added. One or more measles’complications occur in 30 percent of child patients, usually includingpneumonia, ear infection, diarrhea, keratitis or encephalitis.

He said parents should watch carefully for unusual signspost-measles, especially if the child has fever after the rash has gone.

Cam also said that the most effective prevention method isvaccination. However, there are 30,000 children in the capital city who havenot been given immunisation shots, and they are a potential time bomb, tickingtowards another measles outbreak.

The health department has asked schools to publicise informationon measles patients who are their students or staff, and to carry outpreventive hygiene works.

The department forbids any “cover up attempts,” Cam said, addingthat public health agencies are also tasked with reviewing the list ofunvaccinated children under their jurisdiction and urging their parents tofollow the regular immunisation schedule.-VNA