Zika virus-linked mosquito type found in Da Nang International Airport

Da Nang is one of the most favorite destinations for local and foreign visitors in the country.

On April 5, two cases of the Zika virus were confirmed in Vietnam. One of the cases is a 32-year-old woman from District 2 in Ho Chi Minh City. She started developing symptoms such as severe fever, conjunctivitis and fatigue last Tuesday and went to the district general hospital the same day. She subsequently tested positive for the Zika virus.

“We have studied and discovered that there is the aedes aegypti mosquito, which can transmit Zika virus in Da Nang International Airport,” Lam said. The authorities have sprayed chemicals to kill the mosquitos in the international terminal shortly after the mosquitos was found. However, they have not done it in the domestic terminal as they needed further co-ordination. According to Lam, it is difficult to spray chemicals to kill the mosquitos because the airport is often busy when the mosquitos appear the most. Duong Duc Hong, deputy director of the Da Nang International Airport Management Center, said the authorities will spray chemicals to kill the mosquitos in the whole international airport, including the housing zones of the airport staff.

Ho Chi Minh City's Health Department has asked airlines arriving from Zika-hit areas to spray mosquito repellent before landing at Tan Son Nhat Airport.