Head of the Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive Medicine Professor Tran Dac Phu yesterday said that the Ministry is keeping an eye on Zika virus disease amid the  disease is plaguing in Singapore and some Asian nations.

 The Ministry ordered localities to implement active prevention measures for early detection of new cases of Zika virus disease and handle the outbreaks.

Professor Phu said in two past months, the country has no case of the disease caused by Zika virus yet it is highly likely that Vietnam will have cases of infection because mosquito is vector to transmit the disease and many people travel between countries.

To actively prevent the disease, the Ministry encouraged the people to participate in the eradication of mosquitoes and their larva by spraying chemicals, regularly clean water containers, sleeping in mosquito nets; wearing long-sleeved clothes; closely cover all containers of water to prevent mosquitoes from entering them and laying eggs; to put fish into containers of water so that they kill mosquito larva; to turn upside down all containers of water when not in use; to change the water in flower vases every day; and to put salt or oil into water-containing objects placed underneath the feet of larders; dispose of waste such as bottles, vases, coconut shells, used tires and tubes, broken parts of utensils such as water jars, and others to prevent them from containing water where mosquitoes can lay eggs.

Along with this, people should have safe sexual activities by using condoms to eleiminate transmission of Zika . Pregnant women should go to nearby medical facilities id they have symptoms of the disease. Pasteur Institute and epidemiology institutes in the country are urged to strengthen plans against the disease and provide training to medical workers.

Singaporean Ministry of Health yestterday confirmed additional 26 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection in Singapore bringing the total cases to 215. Worse, through tests, two cases are transmitted by Zika virus not in South America. It might be caused by local Zika virus.

Source: SGGP