The mosquito-borne virus is spreading rapidly in the region after being detected past year in Brazil.
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There are no confirmed cases of the Zika virus in Pennsylvania, but experts are issuing precautions.
The ministry has warned people travelling from Zika virus-struck countries that they should keep an eye on their health in the first 14 days after arrival to Vietnam.
“However, the current outbreak is unprecedented and alarming, although many cases will not result in any symptoms”, he said. In Brazil, an outbreak of Zika cases in expectant mothers over the last several months has coincided with almost 4,000 potential cases of microcephaly, which is a congenital condition associated with incomplete brain development.
The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday urged the public to be vigilant against Zika virus even though the country is free from the disease.
The majority of people who get the virus won’t get sick, but symptoms can include a fever, rash, and joint pain.
For those with travel plans already booked, a handful of airlines are allowing some customers to cancel or postpone their trips if they’re headed to fly to any affected areas.
The 32 cases, now in the United States, are among people who traveled.
Pregnant women have been advised not to travel to certain areas to reduce the risk of contracting the virus, including Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Saint Martin and Mexico, among others.
The World Health Organization is holding an emergency meeting on the outbreak on Monday.
At least half of Legacy’s patients come from countries considered high-risk for infection by the CDC, so doctors at Legacy screen anyone who travels there.
“These are the same steps that all Virginians here in our community can take to protect themselves from mosquito bites”, said Morrison about mosquito bite prevention.
“If you have this much Zika in South America and the Caribbean, sooner or later we’re going to see a local transmission”, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the Infectious Diseases Branch of the NIH.
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Travelers at Sky Harbor Airport planning trips to countries where the Zika virus has been reported are anxious about the growing number of cases.
