Diphtheria in Vietnam

Hello Faculty and staff,

There has been an outbreak of diphtheria in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and the province of Dak Nong. Some children have died. Some Vietnamese schools have shut down to prevent the spread.

Diptheria is a bacterial infection of the nose, mouth and throat. Diphtheria spreads easily by droplet when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Washing your hands, wearing a mask, and keeping distance in crowds will help to prevent the spread of diphtheria. Sound familiar?

The vaccine for diphtheria is routinely given to young children and the series is completed at school age (5 years old). The recommendation is for adults/ adolescents to have a Tetanus/ Diphtheria / Pertussis (Tdap or Td) booster vaccine every 10 years (usually age 15,  25, 35, 45, 55 years).

In HCMC you can update your adult vaccine through the Victoria Healthcare International Clinic in D7 (to open in July next to Vivo City) or Family Medical Clinic in D1 or Raffles Clinic in D3.