Zika virus cluster identified in Thiruvananthapuram
India | July 15, 2021 7:00 ISTThe first case of the virus was confirmed in Kerala on July 9. A high alert has been flagged in all districts regarding the mosquito-borne virus.
The first case of the virus was confirmed in Kerala on July 9. A high alert has been flagged in all districts regarding the mosquito-borne virus.
A 35-year-old resident of Poonthura and a 41-year-old resident of Sasthamangalam have been infected by the virus, Kerala Health Minister Veena George confirmed.
Health Minister Veena George had said that the state government has decided to intensify vector-control activities, and the state health department is on high alert.
Meanwhile, a six-member central team of experts has been dispatched to Kerala to monitor the Zika virus situation and support the state government in management of cases.
Among the infected was a 24-year-old pregnant woman who was diagnosed with the mosquito-transmitted disease on Thursday. Hers was the first case of the virus in the State.
Kerala has reported its first case of Zika virus, state health minister Veena George said on Thursday.
With a continuous study on Zika virus, the researchers from the University of California found various new facts about the cause and effects of the virus to an infant.
More than 100 million infections of Zika virus within Central and South America and the Caribbean went undetected between 2015 and 2018, according to a new study.
A new study has shown that Zika virus can establish a persistent, replicating infection in the placenta, which is present months after the onset of the acute infection.
Over 750 million genetically modified mosquitos will be released in Florida Keys in the next two years. According to the reports, the plan has been approved from the US authorities on Tuesday.
While Zika is primarily spread by mosquitoes, researchers have been aware of its potential for sexual transmission based on cases in which people became infected after having sex with a partner who had visited a Zika-affected area.
Coronavirus was first reported to the World Health Organisation from the Wuhan city of China on December 31. Since then, the virus has brought the entire world in a lockdown situation and India is no different.
Stressing that the advisory was not based on facts, the state government said that the situation was "totally under control".
The antibodies "may have the dual utility as diagnostics capable of recognising Zika virus subtypes and may be further developed to treat Zika virus infection," said Ravi Durvasula from Loyola University in the US.
In India, the first outbreak was reported in Ahmedabad in January 2017 and the second in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district in July that year.
Most of the cases which have been reported are from Shastri Nagar area where fogging and other anti-larvae activities are being carried out to prevent the spread of the virus.
According to a Union Health Ministry official, 25 pregnant women are said to be affected out of the total number of patients.
Of all the affected people, twenty three are said to be pregnant women. A health ministry official in Delhi said that the 20 new Zika cases confirmed were from Jaipur and two neighbouring districts.
The health minister urged the people of the state to not panic and to cooperate with the health officials for controlling the breeding of larvae.
Various state representatives have been asked to implement guidelines as prescribed under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme for effective control of Zika.
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