HA NOI — The number of children currently suffering from viral fever in Ha Noi has risen sharply, according to Associate Professor Nguyen Tien Dung, head of Bach Mai Hospital Paediatrics Department.

"About one-third of 100-200 children hospitalised daily are suffering from viral fever", said Dung.

The same situation is repeated at the Central Paediatric Hospital. Some 600 of the 1,800-2,000 children that visited the hospital every day were diagnosed as suffering from viral fever, said a doctor from the hospital's Digestive Department.

Viral fever often appears around this time of year, but has been amplified by the recent heat wave. The infection caused by viruses affects the respiratory and digestive systems, and therefore it can spread widely and quickly and may affect any age group.

The symptoms of the infection are headaches, sneezing and coughing, diarrhoea and a high or light fever that can last from one or two days to as long as a week depending on the constitution of the infected people.

While there is no special drugs to treat the infection, doctors say patients can take antipyretics to reduce the fever, rest and drink more water.

Parents are being advised to bring their children to the hospital as soon as possible if they exhibit any other symptoms apart from fever.

To prevent the infection, parents should not expose their children to high temperatures from 11am to 3pm and avoid crowded areas. ­­­­— VNS