The Health Ministry on October 8 confirmed 22 cases of Zika virus in Rajasthan, stressing that precautionary measures are being taken by the Centre followed by daily monitoring.
"A total of 22 positive laboratory-confirmed cases have been detected. A control room has been activated at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to undertake regular monitoring of the situation," said the ministry in a statement.
It said the present outbreak in Rajasthan's capital Jaipur was detected through the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) surveillance system and all suspected cases in the defined area and mosquito samples are being tested.
According to the ministry, a 7-member Central team was deputed to Jaipur following detection of the first case.
"Additional testing kits are provided to the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories. A high-level joint monitoring group of technical experts headed by Directorate General Of Health Services (DGHS) has met twice to monitor the preparedness and response measures," it added.
Earlier, in September 2018, an 85-year-old woman in Jaipur tested positive for the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the first such case in Rajasthan. The woman was admitted to the Sawai Man Singh hospital with joint pain, redness in eyes and weakness but she tested negative for dengue and swine flu.
Samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for a test of Zika virus and the report came out positive, principal of the SMS medical college Dr US Agrawal said on Sunday.
"I believe this is the first case of Zika virus in the state," he added.
The hospital administration has alerted the state health department, he said.
Here’s All You Need to Know About the Virus
Q) How does a person become infected?
A) It is spread to people mainly through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito; the same one that causes dengue.
Q) How long can the virus stay in the body?
A) If infected, Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week.
Q) What are the symptoms of Zika?
A) Remember this is not usually a life threatening illness with only 1 in 5 infected people showing symptoms of disease. Common symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain, or red eyes. They typically begin 2 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Most people never need to be admitted and deaths due to this virus are very rare.
Q) Why has Zika become a part of our Lexicon?
A) Zika has been around for decades. However there has been an increase in the number of babies in south and central America have been born with a small skull, a condition called“microcephaly”. Though not conclusively proven, it is STRONGLY SUSPECTED pregnant women with Zika might give birth to babies with abnormally small heads, which has set off a worldwide scare.
Q) What can we do to prevent being infected by the virus?
A) If you are traveling countries that have reported cases of Zika, take precautions against mosquito bites. Currently there is no vaccine, so till one is developed, prevention is truly better than cure.
Q) Treatment for Zika?
A) There is no specific treatment for the virus. Doctors advice rest and relaxation. Keep hydrated, take medicines like paracetemol to help reduce fever and pain.
(With inputs from PTI & IANS)
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