Maharashtra has reported its first case of Zika virus in the village of Belsar in Purandar Taluka, Pune District. Officials said the patient, a 50-year-old woman, developed a fever earlier this month but is now fully recovered. Nobody in her family has shown any symptoms of the disease.
Her sample was sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for testing and was diagnosed with the virus on July 30, making her the first case of Zika virus in the state.
The health department said the woman was also infected with chikungunya.
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“The woman started having symptoms on July 15, and her sample tested positive for Zika virus and Chikungunya infection on July 30,” said Dr. Pradeep Awate, Maharashtra Surveillance Officer, of the Indian Express.
He added that a team from NIV visited the region and collected 41 samples from the villages of Belsar and Parinche.
“Of these, 25 tested positive for chikungunya while three tested positive for dengue virus,” said Dr. Awate.
The health department said it has asked the officials concerned to take extreme precautions and the ministry will conduct investigations into the Zika virus and other insect-borne diseases.
So far, Kerala has been the only Indian state to report Zika virus cases. Until now, 61 people have contracted this virus in the state.
WHAT IS ZIKA VIRUS?
Zika is a mosquito-borne virus spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito called Aedes aegypti. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day and peak in the early morning and late afternoon or evening.
This is the same mosquito that carries dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.
For most people, infection with the Zika virus is not a serious problem. But it can be very dangerous in pregnant women, especially fetuses. The infection can cause microcephaly (a disease of the brain) or other conditions called congenital Zika syndrome.
The virus is easily transmitted to her fetus from a pregnant woman. It can also spread through sexual contact, transfusions of blood and blood products, and organ transplants.
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