Ca Mau: one patient has died of A/H1N1 flu

69-year-old Tran Van Chac, from Tran Van Thoi town in the
district of the same name, was brought to the on June 28 with
symptoms of a high temperature and a cough.

He was then transferred to the provincial
and treated with Tamiflu. However, on June 30, he died of A/H1N1 as tested by
Ho Chi Minh City-based Pasteur Institute.

The local health sector has sprayed chemicals over the area around
Chac’s residence in an attempt to isolate the disease and asked his relatives
to closely monitor their health conditions.

The A/H1N1 virus causes a pernicious
respiratory infection. Its symptoms are similar to seasonal flu, that of a fever,
cold, cough, and headache. The virus then spreads to the respiratory system,
causing other complicated symptoms such as wheezing and phlegm. Vulnerable
groups include the elderly, children, pregnant women, diabetics, cancer
patients, HIV-positive people, and those with pre-existing respiratory issues.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health has advised
the public to upgrade levels of personal hygiene, emphasising the basics of
covering their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing, washing one’s hands
with soap, and maintaining clean rooms and frequented spaces.

If members of the public have symptoms such as a
fever, cold, or cough, they are asked to wear face masks, go to their local health
clinics, and avoid using self-prescribed drugs without a doctor’s instructions.

Vietnam has previously experienced an H1N1
pandemic in 2009, with over 9,000 cases of people contracting the disease and
nearly twenty deaths within four months, according to the ministry. -VNA