Doctor and Teenage Daughter Test Positive for Zika Virus in Pune
Image Source: Times Now
A 46-year-old doctor and his adolescent daughter from Pune, Maharashtra, have tested positive for the Zika virus, making them the city’s first two confirmed cases.
The doctor, who lives in the Erandwane area, recently began experiencing symptoms, including fever and rashes. He was later admitted to a private hospital on June 18. The medical facility sent his blood samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for analysis. On June 24, the NIV confirmed the infection, an assistant health officer from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) said, “As of now, both are at home and stable. They are undergoing treatment on an OPD basis.”
Blood samples from his five family members were taken and examined after his diagnosis. The tests revealed that his 15-year-old daughter also tested positive for the Zika virus. The other family members tested negative.
The Zika virus disease is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which also spreads infections like dengue and chikungunya. Health experts said most of the people infected with this virus tend to exhibit mild symptoms, including fever, conjunctivitis, body aches, and joint pain. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947.
In response to these cases, the PMC’s health department has initiated surveillance measures in the area. Although no other suspected cases have been found, authorities have started precautionary steps such as fogging and fumigation to prevent mosquito breeding.
“The mosquito samples have been collected by the state health department,” the PMC official said. “We have begun raising public awareness in the area and have instructed health monitoring for pregnant women. While Zika typically does not lead to serious complications, it can cause microcephaly in the fetus if a pregnant woman is infected.”
The health department continues to monitor the situation closely and urges residents to take preventive measures against mosquito bites.
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