HCM CITY — Outbreaks of rubella and viral fever have been reported in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province in the last week.

Dr Pham Ngoc Ham, head of Da Nang Hospital's tropical diseases ward, said rubella is occurring earlier than normal this year.

On Monday 24 children were treated at the hospital for the disease taking the total number of affected children in the previous few days to 30, he said.

The hospital has isolated the patients to avoid further transmission.

It has also admitted 15 patients with viral fever and nine others with serious dengue fever.

The main reason or the outbreaks was the abnormal weather, Ham added.

In Quang Nam Province, the General Hospital treated 90 people with rubella and viral fever in the last one week.

Dr Nguyen Duc Hung Son, head of the Nong Son District health clinic, said more than 1,000 people had contracted viral fever since the beginning of this year.

In mountainous communes, including Que Lam, nearly half the families had one or more members coming down with the disease, he said.

Dang Xuan Vinh, deputy head of the Phuoc Son District health clinic, said viral fever had been reported for the two months, with 251 people hospitalised so far. — VNS