Union Ministry of Health has rushed a multidisciplinary team to Maharashtra to monitor the Zika virus situation and support the state government in management of Zika cases. A case of Zika virus has been reported in Pune district recently.
"The three member Central team consists of a public health expert from the office of Regional Director, Pune; a gynecologist from Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi; and an entomologist from National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), ICMR, New Delhi", the press release said.
The team shall work closely with the State Health Department, take a stock of the situation on ground and assess whether the Union Health Ministry’s Action Plan for Zika Management is being implemented. The team will recommend necessary public health interventions for management of Zika in the state.
Maharashtra on Saturday reported first case of Zika Virus. A 50-year-old woman patient was found in Purandar tehsil in Pune district. With this case, Maharashtra has become the second state after Kerala to report Zika infection
Zika virus spreads through the bite of the aedes aegypti mosquito and most patients do not have symptoms. The typical symptoms include fever, body ache and conjunctivitis, and pregnant women should be more careful.