Of the total affected people, 23 are pregnant women and 20 new Zika cases confirmed on Wednesday were from Jaipur and two neighbouring districts.
(Photo: Getty Images)
The Central government has rushed an Indian Council of Medical Research team to Rajasthan as the number of people infected with Zika virus shot up to 100.
The team has been sent to intensify vector control measures.
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Of the total affected people, 23 are pregnant women, said a health ministry official in Delhi, adding that the 20 new Zika cases confirmed on Wednesday were from Jaipur and two neighbouring districts.
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“A team of experts from ICMR has reached Jaipur to change the insecticides which are being used in the city to kill mosquitoes that spread Zika, dengue, and chikungunya viruses as a part of the integrated mosquito management programme,” the official said.
Zika virus has been found in some mosquitoes taken as samples from Sindhi Camp and densely populated Shastri Nagar.
On Wednesday, Rajasthan additional chief secretary, medical and health, Veenu Gupta chaired a review meeting in Jaipur.
“Almost all Zika virus infected patients are healthy after treatment. Three-fourth patients do not have symptoms of disease and have recovered,” a state health department official said.
Most of the Zika cases reported were from Shastri Nagar area, where fogging and other anti-larvae activities are being carried out. The official said more than 1 lakh households have been surveyed in Shastri Nagar and neighbouring areas and 330 teams have been engaged to destroy mosquito larvae found during the survey.
On Tuesday, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda had assured Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje that the Centre would extend full support for curbing the spread of Zika virus in the state.
He said that there was no shortage of medicines and testing kits, and those will be provided to the state as and when required. Nadda called for measures, including intensive fumigation, to ensure vector control in the state.
The minister also urged the people not to panic, but cooperate with the health officials for controlling the breeding of larvae.
(With agency inputs)
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