Zika epidemic declared in Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi - A Zika epidemic has been declared in parts of Ho Chi Minh City, local media reported Thursday.
The city government announced five cases of infections in the An Phu and Hiep Thanh communes of Ho Chi Minh City, reported the VN Express news site.
Zika is mainly spread by mosquitoes. Those infected suffer flu-like symptoms. While most Zika patients recover quickly, the virus can cause brain malformations in unborn children, as well as other neurological disorders.
The total number of diagnosed Zika cases in Vietnam is now nine.
Nguyen Tan Binh, director of the municipal health department, blamed the uptick on a booming mosquito population due to heavy rains.
Dengue fever, which is carried by the same mosquito species as Zika, has risen 19 per cent compared to a year ago.
The news of the epidemic comes days after Vietnam reported its first case of microcephaly, a head deformity that leaves the brain abnormally small, likely linked to a pregnant woman's Zika infection.
The 4-month old girl from Dak Lak in the Central Highlands was born after her 23-year-old mother experienced Zika symptoms in her second and third trimesters.