A 24-year-old pregnant woman has been diagnosed with Zika virus - the mosquito-transmitted disease, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Thursday (July 8). Samples of 13 persons, suspected to be positive for Zika virus, have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune.
"This is the first time that Zika virus has been reported in Kerala... a 24-year-old pregnant woman reported at a hospital in the state capital district with fever, headache and rashes last month. The first results showed a mild positive sign of Zika virus and later from 19 samples tested, 13 also showed Zika positive. All the samples have now been sent to NIV Pune," she said.
How do people become infected?
Zika is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same type that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Aedes mosquitoes are found in all countries in the Americas except Canada and continental Chile, and the virus will likely reach all countries and territories of the region where Aedes mosquitoes are found.
How does Zika virus spread?
Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes. It is the same species that transmits dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
What are the symptoms of Zika virus?
People with Zika virus can have symptoms like mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or a headache These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days.
How do you treat Zika?
There is no treatment or vaccine for Zika infection. Companies and scientists are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine for Zika, but the World Health Organization (WHO) said it would take at least 18 months to start large-scale clinical trials of potential preventative shots.Zika infection. Companies and scientists are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine for Zika, but the World Health Organization (WHO) said it would take at least 18 months to start large-scale clinical trials of potential preventative shots.
Linked complications:
There is scientific consensus that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly in which a baby is born with an unusually small head and Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition that attacks the peripheral nervous system. Links to other neurological complications are also being investigated.
