Maharashtra Records 97 Cases of Zika Virus, With 45 Pregnant Women Affected
Photo Credit: AP
As of August 9, Maharashtra has reported 97 Zika virus cases, including 45 pregnant women. The health department is closely monitoring these cases, with three new infections confirmed on August 9. Two of these recent cases involve pregnant women, and the cases were identified in Pune city and Yamuna Nagar in Pimpri-Chinchwad.
The highest number of infections is in Pune city with 75 cases. Other affected areas include Pimpri-Chinchwad (3 cases), Pune rural (6 cases), Kolhapur (1 case), Ahmednagar (10 cases), Sangli (1 case), and Solapur (1 case), according to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) of Maharashtra’s Public Health Department.
From January 2024 to August 9, 1,469 serum samples from pregnant women have been collected, including 12 on August 9. In total, 1,604 samples were collected across the state, with 19 of these collected on August 9. The health department has surveyed 1,88,937 houses to date, with 6,965 surveyed on August 9 alone. So far, they have inspected 7,44,397 people, finding contamination in 3,922 houses and 27,355 utensils. To control the spread, temephos, a larvicide, was added to 17,656 contaminated utensils.
The Zika virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, which also spreads dengue and chikungunya. This mosquito primarily bites during the day. The health department has assured the public that the death rate from Zika virus is negligible, advising not to panic. Any fever cases should be reported to government hospitals, which offer free diagnosis and treatment. The public is also urged to avoid creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes, use mosquito nets, and wear full-sleeved clothes during the day.
For private practitioners, it’s recommended to send patient samples to the National Institute of Virology Pune for testing through the government system.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/97-zika-virus-cases-in-maharashtra-pune-with-the-highest-positive-patients-at-75/article68506698.ece
Category : Health
Tags:
