On Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed three cases of the Zika Virus detected in Gujarat¡¯s capital.
who
Two cases were found in February and November last year, and one was found in January this year. It includes the case of a 34-year-old woman who delivered a healthy baby at the BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad in November last year. The second case was a 22-year-old pregnant woman in her 37th week of pregnancy. All were detected through standard routine blood surveillance in a hospital in Ahmedabad.
On Sunday, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Soumya Swaminathan, said, ¡°There is no need to panic.¡±
The WHO declared the spread of the Zika virus a global public health emergency on August 31, 2016 as many cases were detected in South America, especially Brazil.
the telegraph
Zika is transmitted by the daytime-active Aedes Aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes ¨C the same ones that spread dengue and chikungunya. The virus was first identified in monkeys in Uganda in 1947, and the first case found in a human being was in Nigeria in 1954.
Zika mosquitos are generally active during the day so bed nets at night may not be very helpful, but mosquito repellents and creams are advised during the day. If a mosquito bites an infected person, then it carries the probability of infecting another person. According to the WHO, sexual transmission is possible and evidence suggests that the virus may live in an infected person¡¯s semen for about two weeks.
nbc
If you¡¯re bitten by the Zika-causing-mosquito, then good news is that death is rare and only around one in five people develop symptoms. And these include mild fever, conjunctivitis, joint pain, rash, and headache.
Currently, there is no vaccine or treatment so patients are told to rest and drink lots of water. Where this virus becomes dangerous is for pregnant women as it could potentially affect the foetus and cause microcephaly.
Reuters
This is when babies are born with an abnormally small head because the brain hasn¡¯t fully developed. If the severity of the virus is high, then the brain may function below optimum powers.
Well just like in the case of dengue and chikungunya, one should cover up as far as possible, use mosquito repellent creams and sprays, and keep windows and doors closed.
Reuters
Regarding cases detected in India, the WHO said, ¡°These findings suggest low-level transmission of Zika virus and new cases may occur in the future.¡±
However, it also said there was a significant risk of further spread and urged the government to employ means of controlling mosquitoes.