Why is Zika capable of spreading rapidly in Vietnam?

Mosquitoes make thousands of Vietnamese people suffer from dengue fever, which is also an infection of Zika virus. Therefore, only one person containing the virus can explode into a pandemic.

Before the news that an Australian tourist discovered Zika virus infection after returning from Vietnam, Dr. Tran Dac Phu, Director of the Preventive Medicine Department confirmed that the virus could appear and outbreak into our country by two reason.

Aedes mosquitoes (midges) - intermediate vectors of Zika virus are circulating in Vietnam

This type of mosquito causes dengue fever which is circulating in our country with the number of infected people up to tens of thousands of people. Therefore, the risk of Zika virus entering Vietnam is possible.

Dr. Vu Duc Chinh, Head of the Insect Department, Institute of Malaria - Parasites - Central Insects, said Aedes mosquitoes are very dangerous, they are the type that causes dengue outbreaks. In the South, the epidemic occurs all year round, while in the North, the peak is from July to November.

When mosquitoes are infected with the virus, it can spread the disease for life . Therefore, it can spread the virus to many people when a person has it.

Zika virus is approaching the Vietnamese border

Some countries in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, Laos and Cambodia have recorded patients infected with Zika virus. These are countries with great exchanges in tourism and labor with Vietnam so they can bring this virus back.

Although not yet detected patients infected with Zika virus in Vietnam, but Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long also warned, only one case of disease appears spreading risk is possible.

In particular, the biggest difficulty in detecting cases of Zika virus infection is now 80% of atypical symptoms. The signs are similar to dengue, so the diagnosis is not easy for medical staff.

What to do to protect yourself from Zika virus?

According to Dr. Tran Dac Phu, the main route of transmission of Zika virus is through Aedes mosquitoes.

To date, the disease has not yet had a specific treatment for dengue fever and Zika virus disease, and the preventive vaccine is still in the research stage.

Symptoms of people infected with Zika virus.(Photo: Hai Minh)

Therefore, the best way to protect yourself from Zika virus is to avoid mosquito bites . Specifically: use insecticides and remove breeding grounds, protect individuals by wearing many clothes, sleeping under the curtain, rubbing mosquito repellent .

On the afternoon of March 23, Mr. Tran Dac Phu, Head of Preventive Medicine Department, Ministry of Health, said an Australian tourist had contracted Zika virus after returning from Vietnam.

This tourists came to Vietnam from February 26 and left to Australia on March 6, to March 8, there were symptoms of Zika virus infection such as fever, rash, headache, muscle aches, inflammation Vomiting, nausea.

While in Vietnam, this person went to HCMC, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan.