Karnataka On Alert After Zika Virus Found In Mosquitoes, No Human Infections So Far

The Karnataka Health Department has urged the public not to panic after the Zika virus was detected in a mosquito species in Chikkaballapura district.

The virus was detected in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes after samples from six water bodies in Chikkaballapura were collected and sent for examination.

REUTERS

Following the discovery of the Zika virus, the Karnataka Health Department issued an advisory on Thursday urging people not to panic unnecessarily and to visit the nearest healthcare facility for treatment in case of fever.

How does Zika virus spread?

Zika virus is spread by Aedes mosquitos, the same vector as Dengue and Chikungunya.

The public has been asked to ensure that the Aedes breeding sources are reduced in and around the houses and comply with the instructions given by Health staff and ASHA during the Aedes Larva survey.

BCCL

"Use of personal protection measures, wearing clothes to cover the body completely and sleeping under bed nets even during daytime should be ensured," the advisory stated.

What are Zika virus symptoms?

Symptoms of Zika virus are fever with red eyes, headache, rashes, muscle pain, and joint pain lasting for 2 to 7 days.

"Clinical illness is usually mild. Severe disease requiring hospitalisation is uncommon, and fatalities are rare. Persons with fever and symptoms should visit the nearest hospital. As there is no drug for Zika virus disease, the treatment is symptomatic," the advisory said.

How Zika virus infection is diagnosed

While there have been no confirmed cases of Zika in Karnataka so far, the advisory said that Serum samples of those fever cases with symptoms of red eyes, headaches, rashes, muscle pain and joint pain lasting for two-seven days may be sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV), Bengaluru Field Unit for testing.

BCCL

The serum sample of the family members of positive cases, if any, should be submitted to NIV, Bengaluru, for confirmation.

Since Zika virus disease is said to cause microcephaly and other congenital anomalies among newborns, the serum and urine samples of all pregnant women in areas where Aedes mosquito pools/ human serum are positive for Zika virus should be collected and sent to NIV, Bengaluru, for testing.

What are the precautions?

The advisory added that an area of five kms diameter should be notified as the 'Containment Zone' whenever a human positive or mosquito pool is tested positive for Zika virus.

House-to-house visits for Aedes larva survey and fever survey should be conducted daily in the contaminated area by health staff and ASHA, and additional staff and ASHA may be deployed from neighbouring Prime Healthcare Centres, if necessary.

"The Aedes larva index in the containment zone should be monitored daily to ensure quality surveillance. Indoor space spray (with Pyrethrum two per cent extract) should be carried out on every alternate day to reduce the adult vector density as an emergency intervention," it said.

BCCL

"Pools of Aedes mosquitoes (both field collected and lab emerged) should be sent to NIV, Bengaluru Field Unit on fortnightly frequency for Zika virus testing from areas reporting high vector density, fever cases/ suspected Zika virus disease."

When was India's first Zika virus infection reported

The first case of Zika virus in India was confirmed in Gujarat in November 2016, and since then, the infection has been reported in several states across the country.

The first case of Zika virus in Karnataka was reported in December 2022.

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