Suspected Zika case: Sample from Nellore sent to NIV Pune for confirmation
The case is still a suspect; it could be negative or positive.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 19 Dec 2024 1:39 AM GMT
Representational Image.
Nellore: A five-year-old boy from Venkatapuram village in Nellore district has been tested for Zika virus, with his blood sample sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for confirmation.
Nellore District Collector O Anand stated that the child was transferred to Chennai for advanced treatment after a local laboratory suspected a Zika virus infection.
"We have a suspected case, but it is not yet confirmed. We collected the sample and sent it to the laboratory (NIV, Pune). Once we receive the confirmation, we will have a clearer understanding," Anand told PTI.
In response to the suspicion, health measures have been implemented, including a health camp, additional sample collection near the child's residence, and sanitation efforts, the collector said.
Anand reassured the public, stating there is "no need to panic" as rapid response teams are in place and all necessary precautions have been taken.
"The case is still a suspect; it could be negative or positive. Even if it is positive, we are well-prepared," he said, adding that the district administration does not expect the case to be a Zika infection due to the child's lack of travel history.
About Zika Virus:
Zika is a mosquito-borne disease first discovered in 1947 in Ugandaās Zika forest. For several decades, it was known as a rare tropical disease with only sporadic outbreaks.
Zika outbreaks have now been recorded across Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. That includes an outbreak in French Polynesia in 2013 with thousands of suspected cases, and a large epidemic across Latin America and the Caribbean from 2015 to 2016 in which 1.5 million people were infected in Brazil alone. The increasing number of cases led to two important discoveries.
Firstly, although most people had mild symptoms like headaches, fever and joint pain, Zika infection could also cause Guillain-BarrƩ syndrome, a rare condition that can lead to paralysis. Secondly, and most concerning, was the discovery of Zika's impact on pregnant women and their unborn babies.
