Zika virus has been detected near Bengaluru, prompting the Karnataka health department to be on high alert. Mosquitoes were tested for Zika virus in 68 different places in the state. The virus was detected in a mosquito in Chikkaballapur district, from where samples were taken from six locations.
The samples were sent for examination in August, the health department stated. The results came on October 25. An alert has been issued in the 5-kilometre radius of Talkaebetta from where the sample belonged.
“As many as 100 samples were collected from across the state. Six were from Chikkaballapur and five of them tested negative. One was positive,” Dr S Mahesh, district health officer, was quoted by NDTV.
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Special meetings have already been held by the health authorities and officers have been given clear directions to mitigate the crisis in the initial stages.
According to a report by IANS, the officers have collected blood samples of 30 pregnant women and seven persons with fever symptoms and sent them for testing to Bengaluru. The samples were collected from the villages located in the five kilometre radius of Talakayala Betta village.
The health authorities are closely monitoring about 5,000 people in the region.
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne viral infection. The symptoms are fever, rash, headache, joint pain, red eyes and muscle pain. Zika can cause birth defects.
