The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology yesterday said that it has received 79 samples transferred from hospitals in Hanoi, the northern provinces of Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, the central province of Ha Tinh, and the central province of Khanh Hoa’s Nha Trang Town for testing to find out whether Zika virus exists.
All samples were taken from patients who experienced fever in one to five days . These blood samples are either negative for Dengue virus or Zika virus. Additionally, three suspected samples for Zika virus sent from the major hospitals were also negative for the fatal virus.
The Department of Preventive Medicine under the Minsitry of Health said that so far 54 nations and territories announced to have the circulation of Zika virus or disease caused by the virus. The Southeast Asian country has not recorded any cases of disease caused by Zika virus yet its neighboring nations bordering with Vietnam have had the virus.
Accordingly, it is highly likely that the virus will enter Vietnam through business exchange, travelling.
Moreover, the mosquito which transmit the virus is also the insect transmitting dengue fever circulating in Vietnam lately.
Consequently, to increase control over the entrance and circulation of Zika virus effectively, the Department of Preventive Medicine asked hospitals, institutes of hygiene and epidemiology and Pasteur institutes across the country to enhance supervision and taking samples in “hot spots” of dengue fever for early testing so as to soo detect Zika virus.
The Ministry of Health ordered municipal and provincial departments of health and local governments to launch campaign “Residents kill mosquitoes and its larvae to prevent dengue fever and diseases caused by Zika virus”. Additionally, local administrations and health sector should increase information against Zika and dengue fever virus.
The departments of health will have penalties for acts to thwart medical workers in prevention the disease.
