With 8 new patients, number of Zika cases in Jaipur now 117
JAIPUR:: Eight new cases of Zika virus were detected in Jaipur on Saturday, taking the total number of infected people to 117, Of these 117 Zika positive cases, 22 are pregnant women, a Rajasthan health department spokesperson said.
Out of the total, 98 have recovered after treatment, he said.
The state health department also formed a five-member committee on Saturday to investigate, examine and track Zika virus disease in pregnant patients of first trimester. The committee will submit the report to the director of public health from time to time, an order said.
Most of the cases which have been reported are from Shastri Nagar area where fogging and other anti-larvae activities are being carried out to prevent the spread of the virus.
Looking into this, the state’s health department on Saturday constituted a five-member committee to investigate, examine and track Zika virus disease in pregnant patients in their first trimester and to advice, as per the guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The director of public health Dr VK Mathur has sent the letter. Dr Sitaraman, head of paediatrics at JK Lone Hospital; Dr Lata Rajoria, head of gynaecology at Zenana Hospital, Dr Mukesh Mittal, radiologist at Zenana Hospital, Dr Jaishree Jain, clinical psychologist with the government’s psychiatric centre and Dr Raghuraj Singh, reproductive and child health officer, Jaipur are the members of this committee.
The committee will examine case by case, take decisions on periodicity of ultrasound (sonography), will do counselling, maintain the records and follow up until delivery and thereafter, to detect microcephaly. The committee will submit the report from time to time to Dr Mathur.
Meanwhile, Jaipur Municipal Corporation on Sunday will begin fogging in ward numbers 23 and 81. In ward number 81, fogging will be done at Shadi Nagar circle, Chand Bhari Bhatta Basti, nearby Khandelwal College, sector 4 and 5, PNT Road, Kalpataru Shopping Centre, Tata Nagar-III, Parvat Colony and nearby colonies from 6.30 am to 9 am. Similarly, in ward number 23 fogging will be done from Kanwatia Circle to Lal Chowk Housing Board, Gurjar Chowk, JP Colony, Major Shaitan Singh Colony, Ramnagar Shopping Centre and nearby colonies.
The virus, transmitted through the aedes aegypti mosquito, causes fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain. It is harmful to pregnant women, as it can lead to microcephaly, a condition in which a baby’s head is significantly smaller in newborns.
In India, the first outbreak was reported in Ahmedabad in January 2017 and the second in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district in July that year. Both these outbreaks were successfully contained through intensive surveillance and vector management.