#11,820
After reviewing scattered reports of travelers returning from parts of SE Asia with Zika infections (see Tokyo: Imported Zika Case From Vietnam), just over two weeks ago the CDC Issued Zika Travel Recommendations For Southeast Asia, that included 11 countries, including Vietnam.
The statement noted:
Zika virus has been present in areas of Southeast Asia for many years, and several countries have reported occasional cases or small outbreaks of Zika virus infections. Zika virus is considered endemic in some countries, and a large number of local residents are likely to be immune. However, US travelers to endemic areas may not be immune to Zika virus and infections have occurred among travelers to Southeast Asia
Until this past year, Zika infection was considered `trivial', and with no specific test it was often misdiagnosed as `mild dengue', and so very little surveillance or reporting on prior cases exists.
Now that Zika has been linked to more serious illness, and new diagnostic tests are available, we are slowly seeing locally acquired cases identified in some countries.
Today Vietnam's Department of Preventive Medicine (MOH) has announced the detection of two new Zika cases in Ho Chi Minh City (South), bringing the total to 7 recorded in 2016.
This (translated) report from the MOH:
Information on 02 cases of Vietnam citizens Zika virus in the city. Ho Chi Minh
10/15/2016
As reported by the Institute Pasteur. Ho Chi Minh, the week has discovered 02 new cases of Zika virus in the city. Ho Chi Minh:
The first case is a 22 year old female patient living in District 2, HCMC. Chi Minh. With symptom onset rash, fever, joint pain hands, conjunctivitis two eyes. Patients seeking medical care at clinics and test samples. The results were positive for Zika virus. Currently the patient has stabilized and monitored at home.
The second case is a 43 year old woman living in District 12, HCMC. Ho Chi Minh, with symptom onset rash papular form, 390C fever, accompanied by myalgia. Patients to the hospital, Zika virus suspected to be sampled and tested. The results were positive for Zika virus. The patient had no history of travel or contact with sick people. Currently the patient has stabilized and monitored at home.
To date, the country has recorded 07 cases of Zika virus in the city. Ho Chi Minh (04), Pacific (01), Khanh Hoa Province (01) and Phu Yen (01). Vietnam is the country has recorded the Zika virus circulation, the next time surveillance systems will probably continue to detect cases of Zika virus in the community.
To protect the health of people and communities Previous viral disease Zika, the Ministry of Health continues to implement drastic measures such as strengthening prevention activities Office emergency disease response (EOC), guidance and supervision, sample tests, early detection, proper treatment, promote the communication ...; organized campaign to kill mosquitoes, mosquito larva disease prevention by Zika virus and dengue fever in 63 provinces and cities across the country.
The goal of the campaign to call for every citizen, family and community as well as the departments unions, organizations take the responsibility to uphold the role in actively implementing measures to protect disease prevention their health, their families and communities. Health Ministry recommended people, especially pregnant women planning to become pregnant and should implement the recommendations of the Ministry of Health to combat the spread of the disease to individuals and communities.
Department of Preventive Medicine - MOH
The most recent WHO Zika SitRep now lists:
- 73 countries and territories (Fig. 1, Table 1) have reported evidence of mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission since 2007 (67 with reports from 2015 onwards), of which:
- 56 with a reported outbreak from 2015 onwards (Fig. 2, Table 1).
- Seven with having possible endemic transmission or evidence of local mosquito-borne Zika infections in 2016.
- 10 with evidence of local mosquito-borne Zika infections in or before 2015, but without documentation of cases in 2016, or with the outbreak terminated.
- Since February 2016, 12 countries have reported evidence of person-to-person transmission of Zika virus (Table 2).
- 22 countries or territories have reported microcephaly and other CNS malformations potentially associated with Zika virus infection or suggestive of congenital infection (Table 3)
- 19 countries and territories have reported an increased incidence of GBS and/or laboratory confirmation of a Zika virus infection among GBS cases (Table 4).
- In Guinea-Bissau, the investigation of five reported cases of microcephaly is ongoing
