Second monkeypox case reported in Ho Chi Minh City

A woman returning from Dubai has tested positive for monkeypox, making her the second case detected in Vietnam, reported the Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Health on October 20.
The patient is undergoing treatment at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
The patient is undergoing treatment at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

The 38-year-old resident of the northern province of Tuyen Quang, who visited Dubai from September 29 to October 18, has shown symptoms such as fever, nausea and blisters since October 11.

She and the first monkeypox patient in Vietnam who has recovered stayed together in the same accommodation in Dubai. When the first patient came to know the similar symptoms of her friend, she informed the HCM City Centre for Disease Control (HCDC) for support.

After receiving the information about the potential patient, the HCDC and Tan Son Nhat Airport medical team took the woman into quarantine right after her arrival at the airport for testing.

She was then taken to the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases for diagnosis and treatment. The plane she was on was also disinfected.

The HCDC will continue to track those who had direct contact with the patient so as to minimise the risk of spreading.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a global health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak as infections rose globally, with more than 35,000 cases across 92 countries and territories, and 12 deaths, as of August 15.

VNA