Kerala: Zika Virus Confirmed In Pregnant Woman, More Positive Cases Suspected

Zika virus case has been reportedly confirmed in Kerala. A pregnant woman has been tested positive for the Zika virus. According to WHO, the virus is mostly transmitted through mosquitos and symptoms are generally mild. It lasts for two to seven days.

The first case of the Zika virus has been reported in Kerala. As per the Health Minister’s Office statement, the confirmed case of a pregnant woman was reported in Thiruvananthapuram. The samples of 13 persons are indicating the symptoms of the same disease. They have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. The state of Kerala is put on alert for the disease.

The first patient of Zika virus is a 24-year-old pregnant woman who was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on June 28. She was experiencing the symptoms of fever, headache, and red rashes. She is now reported to be in a healthy condition and has delivered her baby. She belongs to the Tamil Nadu border region and does not have any history of travelling abroad.

According to reports, the Zika virus can cause neurological disorders in newborns when affected in pregnant women. Even though there is no confirmation from NIV Pune on the results of the testing, 13 out of the 19 samples are suspected to be positive.

The incubation period of the Zika virus is reported to be between three to fourteen days. Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne human flavivirus.It is transmitted from the Aedes mosquitoes. It usually bites during early mornings or late evenings. The same species is also credited to transmit the diseases like chikungunya, dengue, and yellow fever.

In case of transmission, the Zika virus is also reported to be transmitted from the mother to the foetus. These babies are born with congenital malformations called congenital Zika syndrome. Zika virus had an outbreak in 2015 in Brazil.