Government launches measures to deal with the issue.
By Jinesh Devasia
Despite no incident of Zika virus infection reported in India so far, health experts in the country have sounded an alarm over the potential spread of the hazardous virus in Western Ghat and coastal areas in the coming days, unless and until the authorities take appropriate action to stop the menace.
Dr. Satheesh Amarnad of Manipal Hospital has said Zika virus is posing a serious threat to the health sector of the country as many people coming from Latin America these days developed fever and Zika-related symptoms. Since there are no measures set up at the airports to diagnose passengers who return to India, the situation has become worsened, he said.
J.P. Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, convened a meeting on Friday with officials of Health ministry and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and discussed developments in dealing with the situation.
The Health Ministry also decided to set up a technical committee to monitor the situation to tackle the spread of the virus, besides strengthening of the surveillance system. In a move to control breeding of mosquitoes, health experts advise people to empty, clean or cover water containers where mosquitoes can easily breed and grow.
The Zika virus outbreak in North and South America in recent days has posed a threat to the health sector across the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the explosive virus can affect countries like India. WHO also said the virus could affect 4 million people worldwide.
Aedes mosquitoes, which spread Dengue virus, are also the carriers of Zika virus. As India has many unclean cities and urban enclaves, the virus could hit the country quicker, health experts warn. The Indian Medical Association also asked pregnant women to refrain from visiting Latin American countries.
In humans, the virus causes an illness known as Zika fever, or Zika disease, which was initially found in certain parts of Africa and Asia. Zika virus eventually spread across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia and later to Easter Island.
History of Zika virus
The virus was first found from a rhesus macaque monkey in the year 1947 by scientists of the Yellow Fever Research Institute. The monkey was placed in Zika Forest of Uganda and hence the disease came to be known as Zika disease. In 1968, Zika disease was reported first time in Human beings in Nigeria. Followed by this, similar incidents of human infection of virus reported from Central African Republic, Egypt, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda besides some parts of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Symptoms and treatments for Zika Virus. (Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Since there is no medicine or vaccine developed so far, the symptoms could be cured by rest fluids, and acetaminophen and other anti- inflammatory drugs.
- About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill (i.e., develop Zika).
- The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.
- The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
- Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for a few days but it can be found longer in some people.
- Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.
- Deaths are rare.
- No vaccine or medications are available to prevent or treat Zika infections.
- Treat the symptoms:
- Get plenty of rest.
- Drink fluids to prevent dehydration.
- Take medicine such as acetaminophen to relieve fever and pain.
- Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen. Aspirin and NSAIDs should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage (bleeding). If you are taking medicine for another medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking additional medication.
- If you have Zika for the first week of your illness.
- During the first week of infection, Zika virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to another mosquito through mosquito bites.
- An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people. (Courtesy for symptoms and treatment: Centre for disease control and prevention- CDS)
Social Media Updates on Zika Virus spread
Public Health Emergency of Intl Concern: the cluster of #microcephaly cases & its possible association w/ #ZikaVirus https://t.co/jgnorT0Ia1
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 1, 2016
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