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PMC rules out cases of West Nile Virus in city

In an official statement, the the civic body’s health department said that the suspected samples which it had sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) have tested negative for West Nile Virus.

Chikunganya symptoms include fever, joint pain, rash, and foot swelling. The health department has conducted medical camps and provided training to vector control teams.

Pune Municipal Corporation on Friday ruled out any cases of West Nile Virus in the city.

In an official statement, the the civic body’s health department said that the suspected samples which it had sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) have tested negative for West Nile Virus.

Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant medical officer, PMC, said that after receiving an alert on the health portal about a case of West Nile Virus from Hadapsar area, they visited the housing society concerned on September 27 and collected the blood samples of a 48-year-old man and his family members.

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“The samples were sent in cold chain to NIV. However, tests came negative for West Nile Virus. The report did not indicate the presence of antibodies against the virus,” Dr Dighe said in the official statement issued Friday.

While Pune is facing an outbreak of chikungunya and dengue viral fever cases, the civic health authorities have urged doctors and hospitals to notify these cases and even complicated ones to the civic health administration.

“We have stepped up surveillance and have time and again appealed to doctors to notify cases to the civic health department. We want to prevent infections and hence urge doctors to report unusual and complicated cases to the PMC health department first,” Dr Dighe said.

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