At least 11 people have died and more than 12,400 cases of hand-foot-mouth (HFM) disease have been reported in Vietnam this year, a media report said Thursday.
The health ministry's Preventive Medicine Department said the figure was seven times higher than last year's, Xinhua reported citing Voice of Vietnam online.
Nearly 400 cases of HFM disease have been reported in central Binh Dinh province, with children under five accounting for 80 percent of these patients.
There have been over 900 cases in Ho Chi Minh City.
Hand-foot-mouth disease is a common infection viral infection that usually begins in the throat. It is caused by coxsackievirus A16, a member of the enterovirus family.
People get the disease after coming into direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or stool of an infected person.
The infection occurs most often in children under age 10, but can also be seen in adults. There is no specific treatment.