Health authorities in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City have detected a 22-year-old man residing in the district infected with monkeypox, an illness caused by the monkeypox virus, making him the fifth case in the city and the sixth in Vietnam.

A representative of the medical center in Tan Binh District told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday that the center had reported the case to the municipal Department of Health.

The man visited the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases to have his health checked on Monday as he developed suspected symptoms of monkeypox.

He later tested positive for the disease.

He is being isolated for treatment at the hospital and is in stable condition.

The Tan Binh District Medical Center has quickly traced his travel history and made a list of those in close contact with him within 21 days before he developed the symptoms.

Those people were required to self-quarantine at home for 21 days and inform local medical stations in their neighborhood if they show suspected symptoms of monkeypox.

The health of those people is also normal now. The Tan Binh District Medical Center will continue keeping a close watch on them.

The patient’s family members were told to disinfect their entire house and the patient’s belongings.

Amid the globalization with multiple trade and tourism between countries, the risk of the monkeypox virus transmission into countries is high, according to doctor Luong Chan Quang, deputy head of the Disease Control and Prevention Department of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City.

To prevent the widespread of the virus in the community, residents should increase their awareness of following the healthcare sector’s guidelines.

The local healthcare authorities advised residents to quickly visit a hospital or healthcare center for an examination if they develop some suspected symptoms of the disease such as a fever of over 38 degrees Celsius, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle pain, back pain, and fatigue.

Monkeypox patients should strictly comply with medical workers’ instructions during the treatment to prevent complications and reduce the death risk as well as follow measures to prevent the transmission of the virus.

Vietnam reported its first two monkeypox cases last year.

They were found to have contracted the virus after returning to Vietnam from Dubai through Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, and were immediately quarantined upon arrival.

A 25-year-old resident of southern Dong Nai Province, who temporarily resides in Ho Chi Minh City, was confirmed the third case last month.

The fourth case is a 22-year-old woman in Binh Duong Province, a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City.

The country’s fifth monkeypox case is a 34-year-old man residing in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. He was concluded to have been infected with monkeypox on Sunday after having his health checked on Thursday last week. 

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