Two more cases of Zika virus have been reported in Kerala on Monday taking the total number of cases in the state to 37. Kerala Health Minister Veena George confirmed the two new cases saying out of 37 cases, seven patients are undergoing treatment. A 41-year-old woman from Kattaikonam, Thiruvananthapuram and a doctor (31) from Kumarapuram were diagnosed with the virus, she said in a release.
The virus was confirmed in tests conducted at the Virology Lab of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, the minister said and added that the health of all the infected persons was satisfactory presently.
On July 17, five people, including a minor had tested positive for Zika virus in the state.
On Friday, a meeting was held by state Revenue Minister K Rajan and George on working together, alongwith the Local Self Government department, for preventing spread of communicable diseases and to strengthen thesanitation committees at the ward level.
Meanwhile Tamil Nadu has ramped up precautions, testing samples from from people in the border districts and intensifying vehicle-checks at the Tamil Nadu- Kerala border. Travellers arriving from Kerala through various modes of transport were checked at the point of entry such as bus terminus and railway stations.
Besides Tamil Nadu, government hospitals in Madhya Pradesh have also prepared themselves to fight the Zika virus in the state after an alert was sent out about it by the health department. Hospital doctors said that there should not be any panic as there is no shortage of medicines for treatment of Zika virus patients.
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