Both patients are 26 years old and H’Mong ethnic people living in Cu Kroa commune, M’Drak district.

One of the patient displayed diphtheria symptoms such as a high temperature, a sore throat and exhaustion on July 8. He was hospitalized two days later and tested positive for the bacterium strain Corynebacterium.

The other patient is the first patient’s relative who directly took care of the first patient. Tests showed he had carried the bacterium strain.

Both patients were transferred to the General Hospital of the Central Highlands region for medical observation and treatment.

Local medical workers disinfected the two patients’ houses and 25 households nearby. They traced and quarantined those who had direct contact with the two patients.

So far 1,247 people have been quarantined for medical observation and they are due to be sampled for diphtheria testing.

The first diphtheria outbreak was reported in Dak Lak on July 7 and the first case was also confirmed the same day.

Diphtheria has spread to four Central Highlands provinces with a total of 74 cases detected. Kon Tum has the highest number of infections (24), followed by Dak Nong (28), Gia Lai (20) and Dak Lak (3).

The Ministry of Health has launched a large-scale vaccination campaign in the Central Highlands in an effort to prevent the disease spreading further. VOV

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