CHENNAI: A day after Kerala announced that one of the 14 people who tested positive for Zika was a 24-year-old pregnant woman from a town bordering Tamil Nadu, the state health department has asked all districts, particularly those along the border, to intensify surveillance.
A person can be infected with the virus when bitten by an aedes mosquito - the same vector that causes dengue. It can also be passed on through blood transfusion or sex. A pregnant woman can pass on the infection to her fetus and increase risks of certain birth defects.
Many people infected with Zika virus won't have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms. Some may have fever, rash, headache, joint pain, red eyes and body pain. Symptoms can last for several days to a week. Though most people recover, some may develop Guillain-Barre syndrome, an uncommon sickness of the nervous system.
"There is no vaccine for Zika and so prevention is important," said health secretary J Radhakrishnan. Since 2017, Tamil Nadu has tested more than 400 people for suspected infection, but all were negative, according to the directorate of public health. "We are staying vigilant. We have asked district health authorities to ensure sumps and tanks are closed. Drinking water is stored in sealed tanks. We have also asked scrap dealers, milk unions, transport depots to address and eradicate sources," he said. "This will help us prevent dengue cases as well," he said.
