Maharashtra reports first case of Zika virus

Maharashtra has reported the first ever case of Zika virus after a patient was found affected with the disease in Pune district. According to the state health department, the woman, who was infected with Zika, has completely recovered and no one in her family has any symptoms.

The Zika virus case is reported for  the first time from Maharashtra. Blood sample of the 50-year-old resident of Belsar village Purandar taluka in Pune district tested positive for Zika-chikungunya co-infection at Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology ICMR-NIV in Pune late on Friday.

The sample was drawn as part of routine surveillance to rule out mosquito-borne illnesses after some



villagers showed dengue/chikungunya-like symptoms in Belsar and Parinche villages in Purandar taluka from early July.

According to state surveillance officer Pradip Awate after detection of Zika, the state surveillance machinery intensified fever surveillance in seven surrounding villages, including Belsar Purandar, where the woman resides with her family. He confirmed that the housewife has no travel history.

She had the onset of symptoms on July 14. She completely recovered and has no symptoms now. No family member has any symptoms too.  The virus detection once again reinforced the importance of fever surveillance to pick up viral diseases. .