The number of people infected with the Zika virus in Saigon has risen to 30.

Nine more people in Ho Chi Minh City tested positive for the Zika virus on November 3rd, raising the total number of patients to 30. The city's People's Committee has decided to establish a steering committee for disease prevention and control.

At a meeting on epidemic prevention and control with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on the afternoon of November 3rd, Dr. Nguyen Tri Dung, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Preventive Medicine, stated that through the surveillance system at 30 hospitals, 921 samples were sent for testing, and 30 people were identified as positive, with 9 cases currently undergoing retesting.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, emphasized that the Zika virus is showing signs of spreading throughout the city, alongside the ongoing and complex dengue fever outbreak. The city has decided to establish a steering committee for the prevention and control of dengue fever and Zika, overseen by the People's Committee, the Department of Health, and relevant units.

According to Ms. Thu, if only district-level directives on epidemic control are issued without specific monitoring of implementation by wards and communes, the epidemic control efforts cannot be effective. The city still has many garbage dumps that are favorable breeding grounds for mosquito larvae and mosquitoes, which need to be addressed. The three districts with the most inadequate environmental sanitation are Hoc Mon District, District 12, and Binh Thanh District.

Associate Professor Phan Trong Lan, Director of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, noted a very rapid increase in Zika cases over the past two weeks. In the South, there have been four cases of pregnant women infected, including three in Ho Chi Minh City and one in Binh Duong. The immediate priority is to ensure that high-risk areas are sprayed with insecticide early and to distribute leaflets to each household instructing them on how to self-check for and eliminate mosquito larvae and pupae.

Currently, there are no recommendations to restrict travel to areas with reported cases. The city is establishing six Zika prevention teams, strengthening surveillance to detect cases, and conducting disease prevention campaigns, focusing on pregnant women. In addition to general environmental sanitation and widespread chemical spraying, the health sector is urging everyone to take action to eliminate mosquitoes and mosquito larvae, and prevent mosquito bites.

Currently, Vietnam has recorded 39 Zika virus infections across 7 provinces and cities. Besides Ho Chi Minh City, which has the highest number, Dak Lak has 3 cases, and Binh Duong has 2 cases. Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Long An, and Tra Vinh each have one patient. One baby in Dak Lak has been diagnosed with microcephaly due to the Zika virus.

According to Baoxaydung