- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory to States to keep an eye on the Zika virus.
- States have been urged to instruct the health facilities in the affected area to screen pregnant women for Zika virus infection.
- States should advised health facilities/hospitals to identify a nodal officer to monitor Zika virus cases.
- States were also directed to immediately report any detected case to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC).
- Zika testing facility is available at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi.
Zika
- Zika virus disease (ZVD) is a mosquito-borne disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
- India reported the first Zika case from Gujarat State in 2016.
- The mild fever, skin rash, headache, muscle and joint pain and inflammation of the underside of the eyelid are the symptoms of this disease.
- During pregnancy, it can cause significant health risks, including the possibility of microcephaly and other developmental issues in infants.
- Protection against mosquito bites is a key measure to prevent Zika virus infection.