ZIKA Virus: Karnataka reports its first case in five-year-old girl, alert on

A five-year-old girl from the Kolar district in Karnataka has been tested positive for the ZIKA virus. Karnataka’s health minister Dr. K. Sudhakar confirmed that the girl’s sample which was sent to Pune for the confirmation has come out positive.

“Out of the three specimens sent to Pune, one turned out to be positive for the ZIKA virus. Areas around Kolar are being sterilised as a part of precautionary measures undertaken by the district health administration,” Sudhakar said.

This is the first case to be reported from the state of Karnataka after a 67-year-old Nashik resident had previously tested positive for ZIKA virus while he was travelling to Pune.


The man has recovered fully and has no symptoms whatsoever, Maharashtra Health department in a statement has said, “ On November 30 NIV had confirmed the Zika virus infection in him.”

Zika virus is caused by the biting of Aedes mosquitoes, which were primarily found in tropical and subtropical zones, but now are found in almost all the continents except Antarctica.

Uttar Pradesh has already seen cases of Zika virus earlier this year.

The symptoms exhibited by the people infected by this virus include mild fever, rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, or a headache.

Zika forest in Uganda is considered to be the place where the virus was first discovered in 1947. Ever since, several cases of this virus have been reported from Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Health experts suggest avoiding travelling to the regions with the ongoing Zika transmission.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, senior consultant, internal medicine, Paras Hospital during an interview said, “By having unprotected sex with an infected individual or by being bitten by an infected Aedes mosquito, a person might contract the disease.”


Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Zika-related microcephaly a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in February 2016. WHO calls the outbreaks of ZIKA virus to be associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

FAQs

When was the ZIKA virus discovered?
ZIKA virus was first found in the Zika forest of Uganda in 1947.

What was the first state to report Zika virus cases in India?
Kerala was the first state to record a case of Zika virus in July.