Zika Virus outbreak in India: The Prime Minister's Office has sought a report.
The first two Zika virus outbreaks were reported in India in early 2017. Both these outbreaks were successfully contained through intensive surveillance and vector management. After a year, Zika virus has again hit the country, this time in Jaipur. At least 22 people have tested positive for Zika virus in the 'Pink City'. Zika virus infection is a mosquito-borne illness like dengue and chikungunya viruses. Its symptoms include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. Zika virus disease has so far been reported from 86 countries across the world.
Here are 10 facts about Zika virus in India:
The first Zika virus outbreak occurred in Ahmedabad in January and February 2017 and second outbreak in July 2017 from Krishnagiri District in Tamil Nadu.
The third Zika virus outbreak has occurred in Jaipur where 22 people have been tested positive of the virus since September 25, last month. Of these, seven people infected with the virus live in the same neighbourhood. The infected have been kept in an isolation ward at Jaipur's SMS Hospital.
Since the reportage of the first case of Zika virus infection, around 10,000 families in Shastri Nagar of Jaipur and neighbouring areas have been screened.
According to the World Health Organisation's classification scheme on the prevalence of Zika virus, India is in category 2. This indicates ongoing transmission of the virus.
The Prime Minister's Office has sought a comprehensive report on the Zika virus outbreak in Jaipur.
A mass drive to contain the spread of the infection has begun in Jaipur. Apart from fogging and spraying to control mosquitoes, authorities have surveyed over 6,000 houses in Jaipur and have treated over 2,000 containers with a chemical called temephos.
Medical teams have been deployed in Jaipur's Shastri Nagar area from where several cases were detected. 179 medical teams are working in six wards in the neighbourhood to watch out for any symptoms with extra attention on pregnant women.
A control room has been set up at the National Centre for Disease Control in Delhi to undertake regular monitoring of the situation.
Bihar has issued advisories to all its 38 districts as one of the affected in Jaipur, a student, is from Bihar and had visited his home in Siwan in August. The student was in Bihar between August 28 and September 12 to appear for an exam. His family members have been put under surveillance.
A seven-member high-level central team is already in Jaipur to assist the state government in containing the spread.
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