UP govt sounds alert on Zika virus

Lucknow, Oct 26 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government has sounded an alert on Zika virus in the state and issued an advisory after the first case was detected in Kanpur over the weekend.

As per an official order issued by Ved Vrat Singh, Director General of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, all the chief medical officers in the state have been asked to keep a vigil on suspected cases while the laboratory at King George's Medical University has been roped in to conduct the tests.

The advisory calls for general preparedness to tackle Zika virus cases, following orders from the Union Health Ministry.

Singh has appealed to the people not to panic and adopt simple yet effective preventive measures to check the spread of the virus.

Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus). These are the same mosquitoes that also spread dengue and chikungunya.

Zika virus is only contagious between people via sexual contact.

The CDC suggests that women are contagious for up to eight weeks, and men for up to six months, if they have had Zika virus symptoms.

Zika fever symptoms and signs include fever and chills, joint pain, skin rash, and red eyes.

Although Zika fever is mild, it can cause severe birth defects in unborn children.