Pune (Maharashtra) [India], August 2 (ANI): Maharashtra has reported its first Zika virus infection at a village in Pune, said Dr Pradip Awate, Maharashtra’s Surveillance Officer.
However, the infection in the patient is mild, he told ANI.
“First case of Zika virus has been reported from Belsar village in Pune. The infection in the patient is mild and no other member of his family has developed any symptom of the infection. This infection does not need specific treatment,” Dr Awate said in an interview with ANI.
He further informed that the infected lady had a mixed infection as she tested positive for Chickungunya also.
“Since the first week of July, several cases with fever were being reported in Belsar village. From the samples that we sent for testing, 21 people had Chikungunya, three had Dengue and one was reported positive for Zika and Chikungunya both,” he said.
According to him, the Zika virus, which is a mosquito-borne virus, is “self limiting.”
“No specific treatment is required for this infection. Taking routine medicine for fever and hydrating helps in recovering from the virus,” said Dr Awate.
He also informed that the Zika virus patient in Belsar has recovered.
He said that healthcare workers are visiting the villages and scanning people for symptoms within the 5km radius of the village where the virus has been reported.
“Health workers are going door-to-door to scan people for fever in 7 villages that fall within 5-km radius of the village where Zika infection has been detected. Entomological surveillance is also being conducted,” he noted.
Caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite during the day, symptoms of this disease are mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or a headache.
Centre rushes high-level team to Maharashtra to support state in effective public health interventions for Zika
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday decided to depute a high-level multidisciplinary team to Maharastra after the state reported its first Zika virus case in Pune.
The three-member team will collaborate with the State Health Department in instituting effective health measures for Zika virus management.
According to a release by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Centre team will take a stock of the situation on the ground and implement the Union Health Ministry’s Action Plan for Zika Management.
The Central government will recommend necessary public health interventions for the management of Zika in the state.
The three-member team consists of a public health expert from the office of Regional Director, Pune and a gynecologist from Lady Hardinge Medical College, and an entomologist from National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), ICMR, read the release.(ANI)
