Maharashtra reports Zika virus case after one year; girl found infected in Palghar

A seven-year-old girl has been found infected with Zika virus in Palghar district of Maharashtra, the health department said on Wednesday, the first case of the mosquito-borne disease to be reported in the state after a year. The girl is a resident of an ashram shala (residential schools for tribal children) in Talasari taluka of Palghar district located adjoining Mumbai.

"The girl was suffering from fever after which she was tested. We got her report (of she testing positive for Zika virus) yesterday (July 12). She doesn't have any symptoms now and is doing fine," Pradip Awate, state health surveillance officer, told PTI.

Preventive and control measures in terms of surveillance, vector management, treatment and health education are being taken, he said. The first-ever Zika virus case in the state was reported in Pune in July 2021. The Zika virus disease spreads through the bite of the aedes aegypti mosquito and most patients do not have symptoms. Typical symptoms of the disease include fever, body ache and conjunctivitis.