The Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health on October 30 confirmed Vietnam's first microcephaly case likely related to the Zika virus. The link to the virus was confirmed by laboratory tests, said health officials.
The first suspected case of the Zika-linked brain defect syndrome microcephaly was reported on October 14 in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. It affected a four-month-old baby whose mother was affected by the virus when she was pregnant.
The local hospital took samples from the baby girl and her mother and sent them to Japan's Nagasaki University for further tests.
The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology found after at least five rounds of tests that the 23-year-old mother experienced Zika-like symptoms such as rash and high fever during the first and second trimesters of her pregnancy.
The Preventive Medicine Department has warned pregnant women to cancel non-essential travel to areas where the Zika virus is prevalent.
The disease is spread primarily by mosquitoes and the Health Ministry is urging people, particularly pregnant women, to take measures to prevent mosquito bites.
Zika cases in HCM City climb to 17
 |
A patient is hearing doctor's consultation (Photo: VNA) |
The Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City declared 17 Zika infections in the city as of October 31, all detected by the local disease monitoring system.
In the face of the rising cases, the Health Ministry's Department of Preventive Medicine held a working session with the municipal Department of Health and Pasteur Institute in the morning of October 31 to seek measures to curb the spread of the virus.
Head of the preventive medicine department Tran Dac Phu said a big population, large numbers of visitors, poor environmental sanitation in many areas and low public awareness of disease prevention are all reasons behind the rapid increase of infections.
The city is also at the peak of dengue fever season, which is transmitted by the same type of mosquito as Zika virus, so the detection of more Zika cases is unavoidable, he added.
Therefore measures to protect pregnant women are urgent, Phu said, suggesting focusing on consultations and screening for this group.
The health sector has also advised pregnant women to have regular prenatal check-up and avoid mosquito bites.
 |
Doctors give check-up to four-month-old baby suspected of Zika-related microcephaly in Dak Lak
(Source: VNA) |
The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has declared the end of Zika virus outbreak at commune-ward level in Phuoc Long Ward, District 9. However, the outbreak still remained in An Phu Ward in District 2, Hiep Thanh Ward in District 12 and Ward 8 in District 5.
On October 30, the municipal Communist Youth Union launched a campaign "Green Sunday" to clean the environment. The activity contributed to raising public awareness of keeping the clean environment, towards preventing diseases caused by the virus.
Locals have been asked to pay attention to intensifying environmental sanitation activities and killing mosquito larvae in residential areas in order to prevent new outbreaks from occurring.
So far, Vietnam has recorded 23 Zika infection cases, including 17 in HCM City.
Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Binh Duong, Long An, Tra Vinh, and Dak Lak each reported one case.
Currently there is no vaccine or specific medicine to treat the disease.
Zika is mainly transmitted through the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which also carries dengue fever. The virus has been linked to microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with small heads, and in the vast majority of cases, brain damage.