Zika virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito, which also carries dengue and chikungunya (Representational)
The centre has sent a team of medical experts to Maharashtra to support the state and "recommend necessary public health interventions" after its first ever case of Zika virus infection.
The team - which includes a gynecologist from Delhi's Lady Hardinge Medical College, and an entomologist from the city's National Institute of Malaria Research - will monitor the virus situation in the state and assess whether the Union Health Ministry's 'Action Plan for Zika Management' is being implemented.
On Sunday, Maharashtra - which was, until recently, the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in India - reported its first ever Zika virus case. The patient - a 50-year-old woman patient from the Purandar area in Pune district - also tested positive for Chikungunya.
The health department said she had recovered from her infection.
The department said several cases of fever had been reported from a village in Purandar early last month. Three of the samples sent to Pune for testing were positive for chikungunya.
Further tests were conducted on residents of that village and those in the area, revealing 25 cases of chikungunya, three of dengue and the one Zika virus infection.
A quick response team from the Maharashtra health department visited the area on Saturday and spoke to local residents about the precautions they must take.
Prior to this, only Kerala had reported Zika virus cases this year; the state has 63 cases so far.
The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito, which also carries dengue and chikungunya.
Some common symptoms are fever, body aches, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, and malaise or headache. Symptoms generally last between two and seven days, although most of those infected do not develop symptoms, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
As the number of Zika virus cases creeps up, medical experts have expressed "grave concern" - a concern compounded by the fact Maharashtra and Kerala are also badly affected by the coronavirus.
Dr Naresh Gupta, the Director of Delhi's Maulana Azad Medical College told news agency ANI the Zika virus, like the coronavirus, may also have (as yet) unknown variants, and urged authorities to increase testing to identify and isolate infections as soon as possible.
"Zika is a virus of grave concern.. is something that is occurring in local outbreaks. So, I think if it's occurring in a given state or place, sentinel surveillance must have picked up these cases," he said.
With input from ANI