VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Health last Saturday confirmed two new cases of Zika virus infection, raising the total number of locally transmitted cases in Viet Nam to five since April.

A health official hands out a leaflet on Zika virus infection to local people in the central province of Phu Yen. – Photo:  Xuan Trieu

A 27-year-old pregnant woman in Binh Duong Province and 28-year-old housewife in HCM City’s District 9 tested positive with the Zika virus.

The two women had not travelled to any country where the Zika virus is present, and they had had no contact with people infected with the virus.

They developed muscle and joint pain, a fever and rash, but are now in good condition.

Health authorities in the two localities have kept watch over the two cases as well as people living in the infected areas.

The Preventive Medicine Centre in HCM City last Saturday spayed chemicals to kill mosquitoes in the area around the house of the patient in District 9.  

In April, Viet Nam confirmed two cases of Zika, one in the central province of Khanh Hoa and one in HCM City. In August, one person in the central province of Phu Yen was diagnosed with the infection.

Zika is mostly transmitted by the Aedes mosquito and can also be spread though sexual transmission.   

VNS