HANOI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Nine more cases of diphtheria infection have been reported in Vietnam's central Quang Tri province, bringing the total cases in the locality to 14 as of Monday.
All the new cases, aged from 1 to 12, were confirmed in a village of the province's Gio Linh District between July 31 and Aug. 9, Vietnam News Agency reported, noting that local authorities have tracked down and tested close contacts of the infected patients, and disinfected their living areas to prevent the spread of the outbreak.
Five other cases reported from July 21 to July 24 in the province's Vinh Linh District were cured and discharged from hospital, according to the report.
On Sunday, central highlands Gia Lai province also reported two more diphtheria cases in a village of its Ia Grai District, the news agency reported.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Health on July 9 launched a vaccination campaign against diphtheria, which, in its initial stage, will offer some 10 million doses of vaccines to 4.7 million people in four central highlands provinces namely Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, and Kon Tum. Enditem
