Zika virus scare: 51 people tested positive in Rajasthan

Around 51 people have been tested positive for Zika virus in Rajasthan's Jaipur district, news agency ANI reported on Saturday. 

According to reports, eighteen more people in Jaipur have been tested positive for Zika virus, taking the total number of cases to 50.

At least 10 of the new cases were reported from Jaipur's Shashtri Nagar locality, news agency PTI reported. 

Rajasthan's health department has issued an advisory for pregnant women staying outside Shastri Nagar not to visit the area. 

A control room has been activated at the National Centre for Disease Control to monitor the situation. 

The number of monitoring teams in Jaipur has been increased from 50 to 170 and a special isolation ward has been created at the Hira Bagh Training Centre to treat the Zika virus-affected patients.

A team from the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) recently found Zika virus in some mosquitoes taken as samples from Shastri Nagar, leading to suspicion they are behind the infection.

On Monday, the Prime Minister's Office sought a comprehensive report from the Health Ministry on the outbreak of Zika virus. Union Health Minister JP Nadda had told reporters that the situation is under control and there is no "need to panic".

"Our surveillance is very robust, all such cases get detected. We've standard protocols. ICMR, National Centre for Disease Control and DGHS are monitoring this. I assure people that everything is under control. There's no need to panic," Nadda stated. 

Rajasthan Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Veenu Gupta on Tuesday confirmed a total 29 positive cases of Zika virus, including three pregnant women.

Zika virus disease is an emerging disease currently being reported by 86 countries worldwide.

Symptoms of Zika virus disease are similar to other viral infections such as dengue and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache.

In India, the first outbreak was reported in Ahmedabad in January and February 2017 and the second outbreak in July 2017 from Krishnagiri District in Tamil Nadu. Both these outbreaks were successfully contained through intensive surveillance and vector management, the ministry said.

(With inputs from agencies)