Zika virus cases rise to 6 in Pune; pregnant women among new patients

Representative Image. File Photo

The Zika virus continues to spread in Pune, with two more cases announced on Monday, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to six. Both recent cases involve pregnant women living in Erandwana.

The first instances in Pune were discovered in a doctor and his adolescent daughter, who reside in the same neighbourhood as the new victims. After receiving positive test results, health officials performed inspections and collected samples from the impacted region.

How this Bandra bookstall is keeping the tradition of newspaper reading alive

1 year agoPHOTO GALLERY

On Saturday, a pregnant woman from Erandwane and a 22-year-old male from Mundhwa were also diagnosed with the virus.

Dr Kalpana Baliwant, health officer for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), said that 12 of the 25 samples taken came from Erandwane, including seven from pregnant women. Two pregnant ladies tested positive for Zika. An additional 13 samples were taken from Mundhwa, but no pregnant women tested positive.

Due to the increased risk of Zika infections in pregnant women, health officials are conducting anomaly scans and boosting surveillance in impacted areas. The continuous spread of the Zika virus in Pune is a major concern, and measures are underway to contain the outbreak and avoid more cases.

Residents in impacted areas have been encouraged to take care to avoid mosquito bites and to check their health for signs of Zika. The PMC is working with health authorities to monitor and control the virus's spread.

The PMC encourages citizens to follow recommendations and take the required precautions to keep the Zika virus from spreading. They promise us that they are actively monitoring the situation and taking all necessary precautions to control the outbreak in the city.

Last week, a 46-year-old doctor and his adolescent daughter tested positive for the Zika virus. However, their health is stable. According to the PTI story, the man lately suffered symptoms such as fever and rashes, prompting his admission to a private hospital. The medical facility submitted his blood samples to the city's National Institute of Virology (NIV) for testing.

According to the official, PMC's health department has begun surveillance in response to the two instances reported in the city.

The official told PTI that authorities have begun taking preventive measures like as fogging and fumigation to reduce mosquito breeding, despite the fact that no further suspected cases have been discovered in the vicinity.

"The state health department collected the mosquito samples." We have begun boosting general public awareness in the area and have issued instructions to monitor the health of pregnant women in the area. Zika does not cause major issues in general, but if a pregnant woman becomes infected, the foetus may develop microcephaly," he told PTI.