The number of people infected with the Zika virus has risen to 80 in Rajasthan’s Jaipur. In the wake of increasing number of patients, the Union Ministry of Health on Tuesday directed the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to monitor the cases on a daily basis, while urging the people not to panic.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda assured Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday that the Centre would extend full support for curbing the spread of Zika virus in the state.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review the activities for prevention and control of the Zika virus and seasonal influenza in Jaipur, Nadda also stressed the need to undertake exhaustive control measures, including fogging, while also strengthening surveillance to facilitate early identification of cases.

The minister said 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.

Nadda also urged the people not to panic, but cooperate with the health officials for controlling the breeding of larvae.

According to the ministry, 330 teams have already been deployed in the affected wards of Jaipur’s Shastri Nagar, and about 434,515 people have been brought under surveillance.

Officials have been inspecting houses to detect larvae to control the mosquito-borne virus.

“86,903 houses have been surveyed. 74,483 larvae-breeding sites were detected. The health workers undertook on-the-spot source reduction and containers were treated with temiphose,” the Ministry said.

Zika is caused by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which also transmits dengue and chikungunya and breeds in open, stagnant water.

Nadda was also briefed about the activities undertaken by the ministry to control the Zika virus in Rajasthan.

“He was informed that 80 cases have been reported from the state while 330 teams have already been deployed in the affected wards of Shastri Nagar (Jaipur). A population of about 4,34,515 has been brought under surveillance.

“Around 86,903 houses have been surveyed. 2,04,875 breeding sites were checked for larvae breeding and 74,483 were found to have larvae breeding,” an official statement issued after the meeting said.

It pointed out that health workers undertook on-spot source reduction and containers were treated with temiphose during the survey.

The health workers have also carried out focal spray and fogging in the affected areas, which were recommended by the team supervisors.

During the meeting, Nadda assured all the states of all support from the Centre, while emphasising the need for continuous monitoring to control the Zika virus in Rajasthan.

(With agency inputs)