HCM city, Binh Duong strictly inspects area reporting Zika virus infection

(VNF) - After the Ministry of Health (MoH) announced additional two cases of Zika virus in Ho Chi Minh city and the southern province of Binh Duong, the HCM city Department of Health has carried out a wide range of measures to deal with the situation.

Inspection carried out in Tan Son Nhat International Airport. (Photo: baotintuc.vn)

The two newly-detected cases of Zika virus infections are women, one pregnant, 27 from Thuan An commune in Binh Duong province; and the other, 28, in HCM city. Neither of them has gone to the other places for tourism and both live in areas not having reported Zika virus infections.

After the detection, the HCM city Preventive Health Centre worked with the Preventive Health Centres of nine districts to investigate the source of the infections and spray chemicals to destroy mosquitoes in the patient’s house and the surrounding areas in line with MoH instructions.

The city Preventive Health Centre has also warned residents to work with medical workers to kill mosquitoes and larva to prevent the spread of the disease.

At present, inspections are being carried out across 30 hospitals to promptly detect any suspected cases of Zika virus infections.

According to Nguyen Huu Hung, Vice Director of the HCM city Health Department, the city’s Health Department is working with relevant agencies to increase the dissemination of information about the disease, especially in areas for medical check-ups and for pregnant woman.

“Another chemical spraying for sanitation will be carried out in seven days,” he said.

A health worker guides a local how to ensure hygiene in her house. (Photo: VNA)

The MoH has also instructed the Binh Duong provincial Health Department to keep a close watch on suspected Zika virus inspections after a Zika case was detected in the southern province.

About 300 people in Thuan An town, where the Zika case was reported, received intensive medical check-ups. Blood samples of those with a fever were sent to the HCM city-based Pasteur Institute. The local Health Department has also sprayed chemicals to kill larvae in the area where the first Zika case was reported./.

( Compiled by VNF )