Vietnam Raises Red Alert after Australian Tourist Left with Zika

Vietnam has raised the warning level for the Zika virus following the information about an Australian visitor who tested positive for Zika after returning from the coutry, state media reported. The Vietnam’s Ministry of Health was informed by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the Australian national developed Zika symptoms including high fever, rashes, headache, muscle pains and nausea on March 8, two days after leaving Vietnam, said Tran Dac Phu, head of the preventive health department at the health ministry. The Australian visitor stayed in Vietnam from Feb 26 to March 6 and travelled to Ho Chi Minh City, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan provinces during that time. The identity, gender and age of the patient have not been revealed. Phu also said the ministry is still working closely with WHO and Australian authorities to determine whether the person was infected in or outside Vietnam. According to the WHO, 59 countries and territories have recorded Zika virus so far. (tienphong.vn Mar 24)