Hanoi (VNA) - Health experts are advising people to take precautions to preventepidemics and diseases that frequently occur in the first three months of theyear during the humid weather and crowded festivals, said Tran Dac Phu, head ofthe Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive Medicine.

Common spring epidemics involve acute respiratory illnesses, measles, viralinfections, Japanese encephalitis, chicken pox, meningitis and dengue fever.

Phu said epidemics, including dangerous and newly-emerging diseases suchas the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus(MERS-CoV), were becoming more complicated around the world.

A surge in measles cases has been recorded in some countries where the diseasehad previously been eradicated while some types of avian flu have been reportedin neighbouring countries, posing risks of spreading via passengers and poultryimported from infected areas.

These diseases were liable to enter the country unless drasticpreventive measures were taken, Phu said.

Luong Thi Thu Hien, head of the Internal MedicineDepartment at the Hanoi-based E Hospital, said the number of chicken pox casesamong children usually rose in the spring.

Chicken pox was transmitted through the respiratory system.Children and adults were easily infected with the disease in the winter-springseason. Complicationssuch as pneumonia and encephalitis could harm patients, she said.

Nguyen Trung Cap, head of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases’ EmergencyDepartment, said the number of flu cases was always high at this time andcommon among elderly people, pregnant women and children.

The most serious strains are A/H1N1 and B flu, which can lead to respiratoryfailure and death.

Nguyen Ba Dang, an official from the Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive Medicine, said springdiseases could turn into an outbreak in areas where people were not vaccinated.

The ministry has urged authorities to increase vaccinations for measles andrubella for children aged between one and five across the country.

It has also encouraged people to takepreventative methods such as regular hand washing, the safe processing of foodand keeping a clean living environment.

Adults also needed to take children to health centres to make sure theirvaccinations were up-to-date, it said.-VNA