Rajasthan: 29 Zika virus positive cases including three pregnant women reported

Rajasthan Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Veenu Gupta on Tuesday confirmed a total 29 positive cases of Zika virus, including three pregnant women.

She informed that 150-200 teams are conducting a combing operation and the authorities have surveyed over 6,000 houses in Jaipur to contain the spread of the infection.

"There are a total of 29 positive cases so far. 150-200 teams are conducting a combing operation. 26,000 houses have been surveyed. All cases of fever have been listed. If there is a need to collect samples, we are collecting that on a large scale," Gupta said at a press conference here.

As many as 450 samples have been collected including samples of 160 pregnant women. As per reports, the first case of the virus in the city was confirmed on September 24.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has assured that everything is under control and there is no need to panic.

"Our surveillance is very robust, all such cases get detected. We have standard protocols. ICMR, National Centre for Disease Control and DGHS are monitoring this. I assure people that everything is under control. There is no need to panic," he said.

Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite during the day. Symptoms are generally mild and include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. Symptoms typically last for two to seven days.

Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause infants to be born with microcephaly and other congenital malformations, known as congenital Zika syndrome. Infection with Zika virus is also associated with other complications of pregnancy including preterm birth and miscarriage.

An increased risk of neurologic complications is associated with Zika virus infection in adults and children, including Guillain-Barre syndrome, neuropathy and myelitis.

-PTI