The Union Health Ministry has issued guidelines to states in response to Zika virus cases reported from Maharashtra. States are advised to maintain continuous vigilance by screening pregnant women for Zika virus infection and monitoring fetal growth in cases where mothers test positive. Health facilities are instructed to appoint nodal officers to ensure premises remain free of Aedes mosquitoes. States are also urged to enhance entomological surveillance and vector control activities in residential areas, workplaces, schools, construction sites, institutions, and health facilities.
Dr. Naveen Kumar, Director of the National Institute of Virology, reassured citizens not to panic about the Zika cases in Pune. He confirmed that out of 106 samples tested nationwide, six were positive for Zika in Pune, with one case each from Ahmednagar and Kolhapur. Dr. Gajanan Sapkal, leading the diagnostic virology group at NIV, emphasized their capability to test viral genomes and Zika virus antibodies, noting that the Zika virus in Pune currently belongs to the Asian lineage.
Zika virus, transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes, typically causes mild symptoms such as fever, rash, and joint pain. Although primarily a mild illness, Zika has garnered global attention due to potential links with microcephaly and neurological complications, as highlighted in a report published in the Journal of Infection by Dr. Sapkal.
A 2022 Indian Council of Medical Research study underscored the spread of Zika across several states, emphasizing the need for enhanced surveillance. Recent research in the Journal of Vector-borne Diseases (January-March 2024) confirmed sporadic Zika cases nationwide, with the Asian lineage prevailing and critical mutations associated with microcephaly absent from the infections.