The new cases announced by the Health Department on October 31 push the number of local Zika infections to 17. All are linked to the same affected part of the City, according to a statement of the Pasteur Institute.
Tran Dac Phu, director of the General Department of Preventive Medicine attributed the additional cases to poor awareness of residents about preventive measures, environmental pollution, poor hygiene conditions and overcrowding in HCM City.
Through October 31, Vietnam nationwide has reported 23 Zika cases including 17 in HCM City and others detected in the provinces of Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Binh Duong, Long An, Tra Vinh and Daklak.
