An Australian man has tested positive for the Zika virus after a 10-day visit to Vietnam. The Ministry of Health has raised alert levels following evidence of the Zika virus in the country.

A baby tested positive for the Zika virus

Tran Dac Phu, Head of the Preventive Health Department, said that on March 23, the ministry received a report from the World Health Organisation saying an Australian man had been found to have contracted the Zika virus after returning home from the trip to Vietnam.

The person arrived in Vietnam on February 26 and then travelled to the provinces of Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan and HCM City. Two days after returning to Australia, he showed symptoms of Zika infection, including fever, rash, headache, muscle aches, conjunctivitis and nausea.

The Ministry of Health will continue closely following the Australian man's condition. However, the ministry said, the patient could have been infected with the virus before coming to Vietnam.

The ministry also requested healthcare units to strengthen supervision and take sample tests of all cases which have similar symptoms to Zika virus infection.

Localities are urged to increase public awareness activities to encourage residents to kill mosquitoes in order to prevent the disease.

The Ministry of Health warned pregnant women not to visit countries facing the virus. People who return from infected countries keep a close watch on their health during the first 12 days of their return.

To date, no resident in Vietnam has reported testing positive for the Zika virus.