Zika infections double in Vietnam

The number of confirmed Zika casesin Vietnam has more than doubled over the past three days to 23,with a dozen of the new infections recorded in the commercialhub of Ho Chi Minh City, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

The mosquito-borne virus has been spreading in SoutheastAsia after outbreaks in the Americas. Thailand reported the
region's first confirmed case of microcephaly, a birth defectmarked by small head size, linked to Zika in late September.

On Sunday, Vietnam's health ministry reported its first microcephaly case that it said was likely linked to Zika.

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The ministry said 14 more cases of Zika were reported sinceSunday, most in the south of the country. Seventeen of Vietnam's23 cases have been in the south's Ho Chi Minh City, thecountry's biggest city.

Health officials were not immediately available for commenton the surge in cases.

Vietnam last month raised the threat level for Zika andstepped up monitoring of pregnant women.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to causemicrocephaly a severe birth defect in which the head and brainare undersized as well as other brain abnormalities.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came tolight last year in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than1,900 cases of microcephaly.

In adults, Zika infections have also been linked to a rareneurological syndrome known as Guillain-Barre, as well as otherneurological disorders.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a closecousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash andred eyes.

An estimated 80 per cent of people infected have no symptoms,making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they havebeen infected.