Centre sends 6-member team to monitor Zika virus situation in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid battling a two-front war – Zika Virus & Coronavirus, Union Health Ministry has sent a six-member team to Kerala to monitor the Zika virus situation, joint secretary of the ministry Lav Agarwal said on Friday.

The outbreak comes as the state is grappling with Covid-19 cases, the number of which is steady in the state, while in the rest of the country, the situation is rapidly improving, as per a PTI report. The team comprises health experts and vector-borne disease experts. The situation is under constant monitoring of the central government, Agarwal said.

At a press meet held in Agarwal said, "There are some Zika cases which have been reported from Kerala. To monitor the situation and to support the state government, a six-member team comprising public health experts, vector-borne disease experts, and clinicians from AIIMS (All India Institute Of Medical Sciences) has already been issued instructions to reach there and support the state government in terms of management of Zika there."

Zika, a mosquito-borne viral infection, has been officially confirmed for the first time in Kerala, after the virus was detected in the blood samples of a pregnant woman from Parassala in the district, who had reported to a private hospital in the city with fever, rashes on the body and conjunctivitis on June 28.

The woman, who had been in her final weeks of gestation, has since delivered and the baby is reported to be fine.

A statement issued by the office of the Health Minister said that the official confirmation from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, was awaited.

The symptoms are similar to dengue and they include fever, rashes and joint pain. Health Minister of the State Veena George said an action plan has been drawn up to control the spread of Zika. Pregnant women should get themselves tested if they have a fever, the minister said at a meeting of the District Medical Officers (DMOs).