Four more cases of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection have been confirmed in the State, of which one case has been reported from Kottayam district, raising apprehensions that the virus could establish new focal areas of infection outside the capital district from where all lab-confirmed cases of ZIKV have so far been reported. Of the three cases in the capital district, two have been reported from the Anayara cluster and one from Pettah.
The case reported in Kottayam is also linked to Thiruvananthapuram, as the infection has been reported in one of the team members from the Vector Control Research Centre, Kottayam, who had visited the capital as part of ZIKV investigation, Health Department sources said.
Aedes Aegypti is a day-biting mosquito and it is highly possible that the team member got bitten by an infected mosquito during field visits in the capital city.
The Health Department will now keep a close watch on disease surveillance in Kottayam.
So far, 42 cases of lab-confirmed cases of ZIKV have been reported from the State.
