Hanoi (VNA) – No cases of the Zika virus have been 🤪recorded in Vietnam so far, the Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health said on February 27.
The Ho Chi Minh City-based Pasteur Institute reported that samples taken from dengue patients in 2015 tested negative for Zika.
In early 2016, 83 patients from localities that have a high prevalence of Aedes mosquitoes – the main transmitter of the virus – with symptoms similar to Zika also tested negative for the virus, according to the institute.
The department, however, warned that there was a high risk the virus could enter the country.
The ministry will continue collecting samples from suspected cases in localities to detect the disease and prevent it from spreading.
It advised pregnant women or those who want to get pregnant in the next six months not to travel to Zika-hit countries listed at the department’s website http:www.vncdc.gov.vn..
Travellers from Zika-striken countries should keep an eye on their health within 12 days since their arrival to Vietnam. They should go to medical facilities when they begin to experience unusual symptoms, the ministry said.
People are recommended to use mosquito repellent and securely cover all containers of water to prevent mosquitoes from entering them and laying eggs.
The ministry also set up a hotline on the Zika virus: 0989671115.
Zika is mainly transmitted through the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which also carries dengue fever. The virus has been linked to microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with unusually small heads and, in the vast majority of cases, brain damage. Currently there is no vaccine or specific medicine to treat Zika.
The virus is characterised by a low-grade fever (from 37.5 degree Celsius to 38 degree Celsius). The symptoms are similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue and include skin rashes, muscle pain, joint pain with possible swelling (notable in small joints in hands and feet), headaches, conjunctivitis and malaise. The incubation period is usually between three and 12 days.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control , by February 25, the virus had circulated in 43 countries and territories, mostly in South America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean.-VNA
Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long has suggested Vietnam expand supervising subjects to prevent the spread of Zika virus into the country as it is continually developing globally.
The northern border province of Lao Cai is taking various measures that focus on health monitoring for people at border entry points, to prevent Zika virus from entering Vietnam.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has requested ministries, agencies and localities to intensify the implementation of measures to proactively prevent Zika virus from entering Vietnam.
The health sector will continue strengthen the supervision at ports of entry for passengers from the countries and territories where the Zika virus is spreading.
All drugs entering hospitals must have a clear origin, so counterfeit drugs are only in the market, not in hospital, affirmed Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan.
To achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2045, Vietnam is prioritising the integration of AI and digital tools into the training of future doctors, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, Dean of Medicine at University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi.
Health experts called for collective disease prevention and integrated solutions to achieve zero dengue deaths in the country at an online talk show on June 14.
The PM called for closer, broader, and more effective cooperation with Vietnamese partners, guided by the principles of mutual benefit, joint efforts, shared outcomes, and common development, including promoting stronger public-private partnerships and collaboration with businesses.
Renowned for its expertise in complex surgeries, the hospital has attracted foreign patients seeking treatment for conditions such as kidney and urinary tract stones, urological and gastrointestinal cancers, and male reproductive disorders. Most procedures are performed using advanced techniques, including laparoscopy and robotic surgery. T
Leading Vietnamese companies specialising in respiratory and dermatological treatments, traditional medicine, immune support supplements, and functional foods will have an opportunity to connect with international distributors and secure export deals.
The project aimed to enable early detection and reduce the risk of dangerous complications, targeting patients with chronic diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and metabolic disorders.
A 2023 report by the Vietnam Health Economics Association estimated that the total cost of tobacco-related healthcare and economic losses reached 108 trillion VND (4.14 billion USD) annually – equivalent to 1.14% of GDP and five times higher than the budget revenue generated by the tobacco industry.
All eligible patients will receive surgical interventions and post-operative care in accordance with Vietnamese medical standards and global care protocols.
Medical screenings and surgical interventions for children with disabilities are being carried out at health centers across Dien Bien. So far this year, 242 children have been identified for diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and the provision of assistive devices.
The Red Journey has become the country’s largest and most effective blood donation campaign, leaving a strong impression on the national voluntary blood donation movement.
This case marks the ninth fetal cardiac intervention conducted in HCM City, and it was considered the most technically demanding to date due to the fetus’s extremely early gestational age and the severity of the condition as diagnosed with aortic atresia.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place one day after the VNVC Vaccine JS Company and Sanofi Group exchanged cooperation documents on vaccine production technology transfer under the witness of State President Luong Cuong and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Vietnam’s traditional medicine took centre stage at the International Congress Biopharm Nonclinical Development, BioNCiD 2025, held on May 25-26 in the Cuban city of Varadero, amid growing global interest in sustainable healthcare solutions.
Under the agreement, VNVC and Sanofi will gradually implement technology transfers to enable domestic production of several key Sanofi vaccines that are widely used in Vietnam. In addition, Sanofi will support VNVC in training human resources and quality management in vaccine research and manufacturing.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than 25,000 COVID-19 cases have been recorded globally over the past month. Notably, from January 1 to May 10, Thailand reported nearly 54,000 infections and 16 deaths. The rise in cases in Thailand has been linked to the spread of XBB.1.16 subvariant.
Recently, HCM City has experienced a noticeable increase in COVID-19 cases, with 26 reported in just one week, compared to an average of only 1-2 cases weekly earlier this year.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
