ZIKA CASES IN RAJASTHAN RISE TO 55

Jaipur/ New Delhi, Oct. 13: More cases of Zika virus were detected in Jaipur Saturday taking the total number of infected people to 55, a Rajasthan health department official said. The figure was issued by the department after a review meeting chaired by the additional chief secretary ( medical and health) Veenu Gupta. The official said of the total patients, 38 are doing fine after treatment. Union health ministry officials said fresh mosquito samples have been collected from various parts of Jaipur by a team from the National Institute of Malaria Research ( NIMR). On Friday, the authorities had reported 50 cases of the virus till then. The Zika virus was found in some mosquitoes taken as samples from Sindhi Camp and few mosquitoes collected from the densely populated Shastri Nagar had already been found to be carriers of the virus leading to suspicion they are behind the spread of the infection. Of the total patients, at least 11 are pregnant women, the ministry officials said. The first case had surfaced on September 22 when an 85- year- old woman with no travel history tested positive for the disease. Fogging and other anti- larvae activities are being carried out in the Shastri Nagar area to prevent the spread of the virus. At a review meeting held on Friday, measures taken to contain the situation were discussed. The department has also issued an advisory for pregnant women.