PM Urges Vietnamwide Information Campaign Against North Diarrhoea “Epidemic”

Text of report in English by Vietnamese newspaper Thanh Nien on 4 November

[Report by Thanh Nien staff "Diarrhea Epidemic Spreads]

The prime minister Friday urged relevant agencies to spread information about the diarrhea epidemic nation-wide and help people prevent the disease by ensuring food is safe and hygienic.

The epidemic caused some 200 patients to be hospitalized in northern Vietnam for the past few days.

Supervision will be intensified in affected areas, markets and restaurants.

Hospitals and medical clinics were instructed to stock enough medicine to give effective treatment.

Deputy Minister of Health, Trinh Quan Huan, said at a conference yesterday that the epidemic has been spreading very fast so prevention has to be ready nationwide, not only in the affected area.

The epidemic has spread over eight provinces in the north yesterday, including Hanoi, Ha Tay, Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, Phu Tho and Thai Binh.

The capital has 130 patients, the most in the eight affected areas.

“More patients have been hospitalized recently.

Most are working age and they had eaten seafood.

Infections were found in 13 out of 14 precincts of the district,” the Director of the Standby Health Centre in Hanoi’s Hoang Mai District, Dr Nguyen Thi Minh said.

Originally published by Thanh Nien, Ho Chi Minh City, in English 4 Nov 07.

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