In a fresh development, a 46-year-old doctor and his teenage daughter have tested positive for Zika virus infection Maharashtra's Pune on Wednesday. As per reports, their health condition is stable.
According to the officials privy to the matter, the infected doctor is a resident of the Erandwane area of the city.
"After he tested positive, the blood samples of his five family members were collected and sent for analysis, and it was found that his 15-year-old daughter was also positive for the infection," the official added.
Zika virus positive cases in Pune: The symptoms and testing
As per PTI, the man recently developed the classic symptoms including fever and rashes, following which he was admitted to a private hospital.
According to a health official of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), promptly his blood samples were sent to the city-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) for analysis. On June 21, his reports confirmed that he tested positive for Zika virus infection.
What is Zika virus disease?
The Zika virus disease is vector-borne infection primarily transmitted through the infected Aedes mosquito bite which is also known to transmit infections like dengue and chikungunya. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947.
Zika positive in Pune: Precautionary measures
Taking cognisance of the two positive cases, the PMC's health department turned proactive in conducting surveillance. Despite the fact that no other suspected cases have been found in the area, the authorities have started taking precautionary steps like fogging and fumigation to curb the breeding of mosquitoes, he said.
"The mosquito samples have been collected by the state health department. We have started the general public awareness in the area and given instructions to monitor the health of pregnant women in the area. Zika does not lead to serious complications in general, but in case a pregnant woman gets infected, it may cause microcephaly in the foetus,"an official said.
