Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has called on local citizens to carry out necessary measures to prevent the outbreak of dengue fever and other disease brought about by the Zika virus.

On Saturday, the ministry jointly launched a campaign to raise people’s awareness of preventive methods against the epidemics in Binh Chanh District with the Ho Chi Minh City administration.

Speaking at the event, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien encouraged the people to participate in the eradication of mosquitoes and their larva by raising guppies, regularly cleaning water containers, sleeping in mosquito nets, and others.

The event also saw pepresentatives from Ho Chi Minh City along with 27 provinces and cities in southern, central Vietnam and the Central Highlands promise to fulfill their duties in the prevention of the diseases.

Zika is a disease caused by the Zika virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito of the Aedes species, with common symptoms being fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus, linked to severe birth defects in thousands of babies in Brazil, is spreading rapidly in the Americas, with WHO officials on Tuesday expressing concern that it could hit Africa and Asia as well, according to Reuters.

The Zika disease is considered dangerous as no vaccinations or specialized medicines has been introduced so far.

As the Aedes mosquitoes are also commonly responsible for the transfer of the Dengue virus in Vietnam, the execution of the preventive measures are significant and necessary in the effort to avoid the widespread of such epidemics in the country.   

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