Mysterious Disease in Vietnam

Kelly Milliken, Post #3- Health

Title: Mysterious Disease in Vietnam

Source: BBC News         

          Just recently, Vietnam has asked for international help to cure a deadly disease spreading in specific areas of Vietnam. Most prominent in the central province of Quang Ngai, this disease has already killed 19 people, and is affecting over 170. The disease begins with a mysterious burn-like rash on the hands and feet, and grows into a deadly disease through liver problems and multiple organ failure. It affects mostly children and young adults. It has alarmingly killed mostly children under 10 years old. This mysterious disease was noticed in between April and December of 2011, but it was not a problem. It has recently broken out again very immensely, and Vietnam is seeking help from the World Health Organization and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate. The disease is reported as not being highly contagious, but people in Vietnamese villages are blocking the doors of people with the disease. This is currently the only way that people are attempting to isolate it. Some city officials have said that the disease could potentially be caused by chemicals, but this theory has not yet been proven. I find it extremely worrisome that a disease that had been previously eliminated, has been re-discovered. It is also strange that it is seemingly incurable, and that the only thing people are able to do is board off the houses of infected people. I hope that Vietnam with the help of the World Health Organization and the US Center for Disease Control will be able to cure and completely eliminate this mysterious disease. If it is not cured quickly, traveling to Vietnam will become extremely dangerous and difficult. Although the disease is not widely spread (yet), it could become a worldwide problem.