“The Health Department and the district authorities are seized of the issue and have taken measures by collecting samples of the Aedes species mosquitoes, which transmits it to people through its bite…”
Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Zika virus (representational image)
Even as the Covid pandemic continues to rage in Kerala, state Health Minister Veena George on Thursday said Zika virus cases have been detected in the state.
“This is the first time that Zika virus has been reported in Kerala… a 24-year-old pregnant woman reported at a hospital in the state capital district with fever, headache and rashes last month. The first results showed a mildly positive sign of Zika virus and later from 19 samples tested, 13 also showed Zika positive. All the samples have now been sent to NIV Pune,” she said.
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“The Health Department and the district authorities are seized of the issue and have taken measures by collecting samples of the Aedes species mosquitoes, which transmits it to people through its bite. All the districts have been alerted about this and measures have started,” George added.
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The Health Department source said that in most cases, the Zika infection is asymptomatic. Those with…with symptoms usually get ill 3-12 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms include mild fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting, and general malaise
Usually, Zika is associated with neurological complications but a health official said none of the cases detected in India had neurological complications. The outbreak, if spreads wide, can potentially dent Kerala’s fight against Covid.
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