WHO representative: Vietnam should consider measles as an emergency Dr. Takeshi Kasai, the WHO's Representative to Vietnam, said that health officials should consider the current outbreak of measles an emergency, as the number of fatalities continues to rise.   Dr. Takeshi Kasai, the WHO's Representative to Vietnam, is visiting a patient at he National Hospital of Pediatrics What are your comments on the current measles outbreak in Vietnam? Do you see any unusual developments? I know that many people are very worried about the spread of measles in Vietnam currently as we watch the number of patients and fatalities continue rising. On April 16, I visited the National Hospital of Pediatrics with a group of experts from the Ministry of Health to take stock of the situation. There I saw a patient who died of the disease. This fills me with regret. Doctors at the hospital have been working very hard to provide treatment. Measles is among the diseases that can spread the fastest, and it can also cause fatalities among children in large numbers. In Vietnam, the number of children who contract measles is very high, so we are not very surprised at the rate of deaths. These patients have not been vaccinated against measles. Recently, opinions have been raised that Vietnam should announce a measles epidemic. In your opinion, when should authorities announce an epidemic? First, I want to say that there is not one standard international definition of an epidemic. It depends on the situation and purpose of each country. According to the World Health Organisation, even if only three people contract the same disease in a country, it could be called an epidemic. However, this depends on each nation. When they fail to control the disease, they should announce it as an epidemic. Do you think that Vietnam should announce an epidemic of measles? This is a difficult question. As I said before, announcing an epidemic depends on the aims of each country, so I can’t say whether Vietnam should do this or not. I think that Vietnam should consider the current situation as an emergency and agencies should try their best to bring the outbreak under control. I my opinion, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health should take measures to prevent and control measles. The WHO supports Vietnam in this, and is willing to help if the country needs. What should Vietnam do to deal with measles? The large number of child fatalities from the disease has prompted many parents to take steps to protect their children. I think that the most important thing is controlling the disease and localising the areas affected by the disease, particularly children must be vaccinated. In Vietnam, many parents have taken their children to hospitals for medical check-ups out of worry, while, in fact, their children are in good health, unwittingly exposing their children to the disease at their healthcare provider. In order to limit exposure and possible infection, we suggest that parents not take their children to hospital unnecessarily. Laodong