Kerala: 14 more cases of Zika virus detected, all in Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala Health Minister Veena George will hold a meeting with officials to get a grip on the situation.

Kochi | Updated: July 9, 2021 01:17 PM IST

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More than 1,600 mosquito-breeding spots were found in Navi Mumbai in the last two months of the current monsoon season

A day after a case of Zika virus was reported in Kerala for the first time, 14 more cases have tumbled out, all in the Thiruvananthapuram district.

While the index case was a 24-year-old pregnant woman from Parassala, subsequent cases have been reported largely among health workers. Samples of these patients, sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, have come back positive for the infection. All the patients are under treatment and stable.

Following the detection of the virus case on Thursday, personnel of the vector control, state entomology and disease surveillance units had visited the area in Parassala where the 24-year-old resided. While she doesn’t have a travel history, her home is not far from the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

Alerts have been sent to all district administrations to keep a close eye on cases of mosquito bites, and conduct necessary fumigation drives.

State Health Minister Veena George will hold a meeting with officials to get a grip on the situation.

Zika virus is transmitted by an infected Aedes mosquito. While most people may not experience any symptoms, some may report headache, fever, red eyes and joint pain. Pregnant women can potentially transmit the virus to her foetus resulting in brain damage in the child. No medicine has been found yet to treat the virus. Deaths are extremely rare.

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