Chikkaballapur: The Karnataka Health Department is on high alert after finding the presence of the deadly Zika virus in mosquitoes in the state.
According to the health department, mosquitoes were tested for the presence of Zika virus in their bodies in 68 different places in the state.
Likewise, samples were taken from six locations of Chikkaballapura district, located close to the Bengaluru and District Health Officer Mahesh Kumar had confirmed the detection of the virus in the district.
The health authorities are closely monitoring about 5,000 people in the region.
The health authorities swung into action immediately after the development and initiated preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus. Special meetings have already been held by the health authorities and officers have been given clear directions to mitigate the crisis in the initial stages.
The officers have collected blood samples of 30 pregnant women and seven persons with fever symptoms and sent them for testing to Bengaluru.
Zika, a mosquito-borne viral infection, can cause birth defects.
The symptoms are fever, rash, headache, joint pain, red eyes and muscle pain.
With inputs from IANS