For timely detection and control of any impending upsurge/outbreak, State authorities have been advised to be vigilant, prepared and ensure availability of appropriate logistics at all level.
New Delhi: In view of the rising cases of Zika virus in the state of Maharashtra, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory to states highlighting the need for maintaining a state of constant vigil over the Zika virus situation in the country.
For the unversed, the Zika virus is associated with microcephaly and neurological consequences in the foetus of the lady who is in pregnancy stage. The central government has advised the states to alert the clinicians across the area for close monitoring.
The Centre has also urged the States to instruct the health facilities in the affected areas or those catering cases from affected areas to screen the pregnant women for Zika virus infection, monitor the growth of the fetus of expecting mothers who have tested positive for Zika.
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Advisory Issues To Schools
The Centre has advised the states to focus on the strengthening the entomological surveillance and intensifying the vector control activities in residential areas, workplaces, schools, construction sites, institutions and health facilities.
The states have also been urged to promote awareness through precautionary IEC messages in social media and other platforms to reduce panic among the community, as Zika is like any other viral infection with most cases being asymptomatic and mild. Though, it is reported to be associated with microcephaly, no report of any Zika associated microcephaly has been reported in the country since 2016.
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Steps For Timely Detection And Control
For timely detection and control of any impending upsurge/outbreak, State authorities have been advised to be vigilant, prepared and ensure availability of appropriate logistics at all level. States were also urged to immediately report any detected case to Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC).
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Woman Detected With Zika Virus Infection In Pune
A 55-year-old woman has been detected with Zika virus injection in Pune, taking the number of cases to seven, health officials said on Tuesday. The city had on Monday reported six cases of the infection, and two of the patients were pregnant women.
In the latest case, a woman from Dahanukar colony in Kothrud developed rashes and suffered from joint pains. Her reports came positive for Zika virus on Monday, an official from the Pune Municipal Corporation said.
The woman’s health is good, and there was no need for hospitalisation, he said. Two pregnant women aged 28 and 35 are among seven cases in the city.
Zika virus in pregnant women may cause microcephaly (a condition in which the head is significantly smaller due to abnormal brain development) in the foetus. The first case of Zika virus was reported at Erandwane, where a 46-year-old doctor’s report came back positive. His 15-year-old daughter also tested positive for the infection, officials said.
Zika virus gets transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which is also known to transmit infections like dengue and chikungunya. The Pune Municipal Corporation’s health department is conducting surveillance. As a precautionary measure, it is undertaking fogging and fumigation to curb the breeding of mosquitoes, they said.
(With inputs from agencies)
