While Kerala sees itself under another threat of the Zika virus, according to a report, health minister Veena George on Saturday confirmed that that a fresh batch of 17 samples sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV), Alappuzha, have tested Zika virus-negative. The samples tha were sent to the NIV Pune were drawn from near the place of stay of a 24-year-old the pregnant woman, the State’s first patient identified in the state on Thursday.
As of Saturday, July 10, there are 14 confirm cases in the state and that the department is on high alert and monitoring the situation closely.
In the wake of rising cases of Zika virus, the Centre on Friday said that a six member team has been sent to Kerala to monitor the virus situation. The team comprises health experts and vector-borne disease experts. The situation is under constant monitoring of the central government, Agarwal said.
In the first case of Zika virus in Kerala, a 24-year-old pregnant woman has been diagnosed with the mosquito transmitted disease, State Health Minister Veena George informed on Thursday. On Friday, cases of Zika in Kerala went up to 14, following with the state government has sounded an alert.
All samples tested positive for the Zika virus were collected from the Thiruvananthapuram district and sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.
Meanwhile, its neighbouring state Kerala has instructed its Health Department officials to intensify vector control measures in the state. The districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chamarajanagara, bordering Kerala, have been asked to be more vigilant.
Zika virus spreads mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito, which bites during the day. Aedes mosquitoes are the same that transmit dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The virus can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus and can cause infants to be born with microcephaly and other congenital malformations.
