Nearly 140 Zika infections reported in Vietnam
Hanoi - The number of Zika infections in Vietnam continues to rise, with 136 confirmed cases of the virus now confirmed nationwide, a local health authority told dpa Monday.
Infection levels in Ho Chi Minh City are the highest, where 119 cases have been recorded, according to Tran Dai Quang, an official at the country's General Department of Preventive Medicine.
Vietnam's first Zika case was reported in April but the virus has now been reported in a total of 10 provinces, Quang said.
Zika is a virus causing symptoms similar to the flu. While most Zika patients recover quickly, infection during pregnancy is believed to cause microcephaly in children.
On October 17, Vietnam reported its first case of microcephaly, a 4-month-old girl from the Central Highlands who was born after her 23-year-old mother experienced Zika symptoms in her second and third trimesters.
The US Centers for Disease Control recommend that pregnant women consider postponing non-essential travel to Vietnam and other Asian countries.
In November, the World Health Organization declared the end of Zika as a global health emergency, but acknowledged that the disease remains a serious, long-term problem.