Vietnam records second monkeypox case

The 38-year-old woman from the northern Tuyen Quang Province, who traveled to Dubai from September 29 to October 18, has had symptoms like fever, nauseous and blisters since October 11.

This person and the first monkeypox patient in Vietnam, who has recovered, stayed together in the same accommodation in Dubai. When the first patient learned that her friend has developed similar symptoms, she informed the HCMC Center of Disease Control (HCDC).

HCDC and Tan Son Nhat Airport medical team took the woman into quarantine right after she arrived at the airport for testing.

She was then taken to the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases for diagnosis and treatment. The plane that she was on was also disinfected. HCDC will continue to track those who had direct contact with the patient to minimize the risk of spreading. On October 19, the PCR test result showed that the patient was positive for monkeypox.

The first case of monkeypox in Vietnam was a 35-year-old woman who displayed symptoms like fatigue, chills, muscle aches, headaches and coughing, as well as rashes on several body parts from September 18 while she was traveling in Dubai. She was confirmed infected with monkeypox in HCMC after returning on September 22. Viral genome sequencing revealed that she was infected with a strain that has circulated throughout many regions of the world since the beginning of this year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak as infections rose globally. More than 57,000 people have been confirmed to have had monkeypox across 92 countries and territories, and 22 have died deaths, as of September 13.

Previously, the health ministry said people entering Vietnam from areas with monkeypox outbreaks will be monitored and suspected carriers will be quarantined.