New Delhi, December 19: Zika continues to be a cause of concern for India as states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh continue to report high number of patients since the outset of winter. And now with a US-based health organisation named the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issuing an alert and advising pregnant women against travelling in India's Zika affected states, the government and health department is planning to tackle the Zika issue. Zika Virus Disease: What Are The Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of This Mosquito-Borne Illness.

On December 12, a report in PTI said that over 280 cases of Zika virus infection, including two deaths, were reported from three states in India from September to November, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel informed the Rajya Sabha. Total 159 cases of the infection were reported from Jaipur in Rajasthan. US Agency CDC Issues Zika Alert for Travellers in Rajasthan, Asks Pregnant Women to Avoid Visiting Affected Areas.

Know What is Zika and How is it Caused?

Zika is a viral infection transmitted by aides aegypti mosquito. Pregnant women are at a high risk and the disease can adversely affect the health of the newborn. Zika virus has the potential to spread given the wide geographical distribution of the mosquito vector (aedes mosquito that also spreads dengue and chikungunya) in India, a lack of immunity among population in newly affected areas and the high volume of international travel.

How Is Zika Virus Transmitted?

The virus is primarily passed on through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which bites during the day. The bites peak during early morning and late afternoon. The mosquito genus is found in tropical and subtropical regions.

What are the Symptoms of Zika?

Usually, the symptoms of Zika are mild. They are not even life-threatening in many cases. But it can prove fatal for a pregnant women, causing huge risk to the unborn. Many of the symptoms are similar to dengue and chikungunya like high fever, body pain, etc.

How is Zika Detected?

A blood or urine test helps confirm the infection.

Considering the number of cases, the Zika action plan was implemented in all the affected states and central teams were deployed in Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Vidisha, Sehore and Sagar to assist these states in containment operations.

Advisory were issued to all states/UTs to strengthen vector control activities and surveillance for Zika virus disease while the ministry officers reviewed the situation on regular basis and modulated the action for containment. The Indian Council of Medical Research supported the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) in the affected states for testing clinical samples and financial support was ensured through National Health Mission. (With Agency Inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2018 08:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).