The Zika virus is spreading quietly in every part of the country and spreading to areas where the virus has never been reported before. According to scientists from the National Institute of Virology and ICMR in Pune, local transmission of the disease has started. 


Zika Virus: Detected in States at present


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Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the mosquito-borne Zika virus has been detected in some of the new states of India. These include Aligarh and Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Delhi, Amritsar (Punjab), Pune (Maharashtra), Jaipur and Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Hyderabad (Telangana), Ranchi (Jharkhand) and Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala). These areas are known to be densely populated. The study states that continuous and increased surveillance of prenatal screening for Zika with dengue and chikungunya is the need of the hour as it is microcephaly and congenital in newborn babies. 


Zika Virus: 67 People Tested Positive 


With Zika outbreaks reported from remote locations within six months in 2021, a retrospective screening of Zika was done from May to October to understand the extent of the spread of the disease in India. It is learnt that out of 1250 samples, 67 have tested positive for Zika virus, including three co-infections. As many as 67 positive patients had developed fever and signs of vomiting. According to the study, 13.43% per cent of patients were hospitalized, while 86.56% cases were managed on the basis of outpatients. Apart from these, four patients suffered severe breathlessness, one patient developed seizures and a case of suspected mild microcephaly at birth was reported from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. 


Zika Virus: Previously detected States


The Zika virus, which was declared a public health emergency of international concern by WHO in January 2016, has been detected in Gujarat (2017), Tamil Nadu (2017), Rajasthan (2018), Madhya Pradesh (2018). In 2017, Zika virus cases were detected from Kerala, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.


Zika Virus: Compromise with Mosquito-Borne Diseases


The study stresses that the compromise was made with mosquito-borne diseases at a time when the entire health process is focusing on coping with Covid-19. As a result of this, due to widespread rains in these states, the breeding space of mosquitoes has increased and mosquitoes are given the opportunity to increase the extra number. 


Zika Virus: Increase During Rainy Season


According to a study, the Zika cases are likely to rise during the monsoons with a surge in mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya. From 2017 to 20121, the Zika virus was detected in 16 states and union territories of the country.