Tourists infected with the Zika virus are incubating the disease in Vietnam.

This is the latest information from Mr. Tran Dac Phu, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, regarding the case of an Australian tourist infected with the Zika virus after returning from Vietnam.

On the morning of March 24, Mr. Tran Dac Phu confirmed that the Australian tourist infected with the Zika virus had an incubation period in Vietnam.

"During his time in Vietnam, this visitor traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa, and Binh Thuan. He stayed in each location for two to three days," Mr. Phu said.

The Zika virus is believed to be linked to microcephaly in newborns. (Photo: CNN)

An Australian tourist who arrived in Vietnam on February 26th and departed for Australia on March 6th showed symptoms of Zika virus infection on March 8th, including fever, rash, headache, muscle pain, conjunctivitis, and nausea.

To proactively implement Zika virus prevention and control activities and monitor and verify the circulation of the Zika virus in Vietnam, the Ministry of Health requests the Pasteur Institutes of Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang to support localities where this Australian individual had visited by increasing the collection of samples from suspected cases for testing; and to have medicines, supplies, and biological products ready to ensure monitoring and handling when a Zika outbreak is detected.

Currently, this information is causing concern among many people. Mr. Phu believes that those with symptoms such as fever and petechiae should go to a medical facility for examination.

Speaking on the sidelines of the National Assembly, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said: “Immediately after receiving information about the Australian tourist infected with the Zika virus, the Ministry of Health held an emergency meeting, checked and monitored each person through blood tests. This tourist may have been infected before arriving in Vietnam. Therefore, people in the areas the tourist visited are being monitored.”

According to Zing.vn