Maharashtra's second Zika infection case is a 7-year-old from Palghar

A seven-year-old girl has been detected carrying the Zika virus in Maharashtra’s Palghar district. The girl is a resident of Ashramshala in the Jhai village of the district, informed the state’s health department.

It is the second case in Maharashtra after the first patient was found in Pune in July 2021.

“Preventive and control measures in terms of surveillance, vector management, treatment and health education efforts are being taken,” stated the Maharashtra Health Department.

As per reports, the district hospitals in the village were receiving complaints that children in the village were suffering from fever accompanied by headaches and body aches. Around 13 blood samples were collected among the infected children and were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for testing. As per the results, a seven-year-old girl was seen infected with the virus. Seven others were found to be infected with Swine flu.

The infected girl (Arya Boba) comes from a tribal family and has no history of foreign travel. She is currently receiving treatment in a district hospital.

As per reports, the village is under tight surveillance where others are being tested for the virus.

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Brief history of infections in India

Zika virus was declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization in 2016. Since then the disease has been found in many Indian states including Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and others.

The first case of Zika reported in Maharashtra involved a 50-year-old woman patient from Purandar tehsil in the Pune district.

Kerala had also reported over 50 cases in 2021.

A case of Zika virus was also reported in 2021 at an Air Force Station in Kanpur of Uttar Pradesh. The patient was a 57-year-old man.

Over 50 people had tested positive for the virus in Jaipur district of Rajasthan.

What is Zika virus?

Zika virus disease is an ailment caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes which bite only during the day.

Symptoms of the disease are generally mild and include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain and headaches.

The virus can be transmitted to fetus during any stage of pregnancy.

Possible complications of the disease

If passed on to the fetus during pregnancy, the virus can cause infants to be born with microcephaly (caused by loss of brain tissue). It can also lead to miscarriage and preterm birth.

Some neurological complications are also associated with the viral-infection both in adults and children.

Diagnosis and treatment

The disease can only be confirmed by laboratory blood tests and other tests using body fluids like urine or semen.

There is no standard treatment available for the disease.

Preventive measures

Since the mosquito is usually active during the day hours, personal protection can be ensured wearing full sleeve clothing that covers much of the body, using physical barriers like window screens, keeping doors closed, using insect repellants and not allowing the rain water to stand near the house.

As per studies, the virus can also be sexually transmitted.