No Zika Virus Found in Vietnam HCMC after South Korean Case Reported: Office

No case suspected of carrying Zika virus has been detected in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), since a South Korean woman was found with the virus on her return home from the city, state media reported. The municipal Preventive Medicine Centre said it has not detected any suspected Zika cases in the past month, both at the Korean patient’s residence and workplace. From April 10 - April 30 this year, the patient worked at the Korean International School in Tan Phu ward, District 7 and registered her temporary residence in the Sky Garden 2 residential area in Phu My Hung, District 7. After being bitten by mosquitoes, she broke out in a rash on April 28. After learning about the case from the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) Preventive Medicine Department, the municipal Preventive Medicine Centre coordinated with the District 7’s preventive medicine center to carry out epidemiological and environmental inspections at the patient’s workplace and residence but found no mosquitoes or larvae. The MoH said it would continue to closely work with the Korea’s International Health Regulations agency to verify other relevant information to assist the identification of the source of epidemic. (dantri.com.vn May 11)