Vietnam declares Zika outbreak over in HCM City and Khanh Hoa

No new cases have been found in HCMC and Khanh Hoa for the last 24 days since the first cases were reported, the department said, adding that necessary measures are being taken across the country to prevent the virus from breaking out again.

In late-March, a 64-year-old woman living in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, showed symptoms identical to Zika including a mild fever, headache, a rash on her legs and red eyes. After two days of taking medication at home that failed to reduce the fever, she went to the Khanh Hoa Hospital of Tropical Diseases for a check-up.

The other case was a 32-year-old woman from District 2 in HCM City. She started developing a severe fever, conjunctivitis and fatigue on March 29 and went to the district general hospital the same day. She subsequently tested positive for the Zika virus.

The most significant health threat is for pregnant women because Zika has been linked to the birth defect microcephaly and miscarriages. The virus can also lead to guillain-barre syndrome, which can attack the nervous system. There is no vaccine or preventative medication available for Zika.