Vietnam reports 17% increase in dengue in 2025 – Outbreak News Today

Report on the Dengue Fever Epidemic in Vietnam and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary: Dengue as a Global and National Health Threat

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified dengue fever as one of the top ten global health threats requiring priority action. This classification highlights the severe risk the disease poses to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3): Good Health and Well-being. Vietnam is identified as a global hotspot for dengue, with its incidence rate being among the highest in the Southeast Asian region, presenting a significant obstacle to national public health targets.

2.0 Epidemiological Analysis and Trends

The dengue fever situation in Vietnam demonstrates a persistent and escalating public health crisis with several key characteristics:

• High Case Load: The country consistently records over 100,000 cases annually. A historical peak was reached in 2022, with the case count exceeding 370,000.
• Recent Data (2025): From the beginning of the year to the end of October 2025, national records indicate 110,503 cases and 23 fatalities. This represents a 16.8% increase in cases and two additional deaths compared to the same period in 2024.
• Geographic and Demographic Shifts: Dr. Ngu Duy Nghia, Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, reports that the epidemic has expanded to all regions of the country. A significant demographic shift has also been observed; in the Southern region, the infection rate for individuals over 15 years old increased from 18% in 1999 to 53% in 2022, indicating that dengue is a threat to all age groups.

3.0 Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The dengue epidemic in Vietnam directly impacts the nation’s ability to meet several key SDGs.

3.1 SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The high incidence and mortality rates from dengue directly challenge SDG Target 3.3, which aims to end the epidemics of communicable diseases by 2030.
• The year-round transmission and increasing complexity of the disease place a continuous strain on the national health system, undermining progress towards Universal Health Coverage (SDG Target 3.8).

3.2 Interconnected SDGs

• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): As a vector-borne disease often linked to urban and peri-urban environments, controlling dengue is essential for creating safe, resilient, and sustainable human settlements.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): Epidemiological changes may be exacerbated by climate change, which can expand mosquito habitats and transmission seasons, linking public health security to climate resilience efforts.

4.0 Recommended Strategic Framework for SDG Alignment

The complex nature of the dengue epidemic requires a comprehensive, multi-sectoral strategy that aligns with the principles of the SDGs, particularly SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Such a strategy must integrate the following core components:

1. Prevention: Strengthening community-based programs for vector control and elimination of breeding sites.
2. Surveillance: Enhancing national and local surveillance systems for early detection and rapid response to outbreaks.
3. Treatment: Ensuring equitable access to effective clinical management to reduce the case fatality rate.
4. Communication: Implementing sustained public health communication campaigns to raise awareness and promote protective behaviors across all demographics.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The primary Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) addressed in the article is:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Explanation: The article’s entire focus is on the public health threat posed by dengue fever in Vietnam. It discusses the disease’s high incidence rate, the number of cases and deaths, and its classification by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a “global health threat.” This directly relates to SDG 3, which aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” The challenges described, such as Vietnam being a “hotspot of dengue fever globally,” clearly fall under the purview of this goal.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets under SDG 3 can be identified:

1. Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.

   Explanation: Dengue fever is a communicable, vector-borne disease. The article highlights its epidemic proportions in Vietnam, stating the country “records more than one hundred thousand cases” annually and that the “scope of the epidemic has expanded to all regions across the country.” The efforts to control and reduce the high number of cases are directly aligned with the objective of ending the epidemic of a communicable disease as stipulated in this target.

2. Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.

   Explanation: The article emphasizes that dengue fever is considered one of the “10 global health threats” by the WHO. It also points out that the disease’s epidemiology is “increasingly complex,” which “requires a comprehensive and multi-sectoral strategy of prevention – surveillance – treatment – communication.” This call for a robust national strategy is a direct reflection of the need to strengthen capacity for health risk management, which is the core focus of Target 3.d.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions and implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Incidence rate of dengue fever: This is explicitly mentioned when the article states, “the rate of dengue fever per 100,000 people is among the highest among infectious diseases.” This indicator directly measures the prevalence of the disease in the population and is crucial for tracking progress towards Target 3.3.
• Number of dengue fever cases and deaths: The article provides specific data points that serve as key indicators. For example, it notes “110,503 cases of dengue fever and 23 deaths” by October 2025 and a record high of over “370,000 cases” in 2022. Tracking the reduction in these absolute numbers is a primary way to measure success in combating the epidemic.
• Implementation of a national health risk management strategy: The article implies this indicator by stating that the complexity of dengue fever “requires a comprehensive and multi-sectoral strategy of prevention – surveillance – treatment – communication.” The existence, scope, and effectiveness of such a strategy would be a qualitative indicator of a country’s strengthened capacity to manage health risks, aligning with Target 3.d.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: outbreaknewstoday.substack.com