Zika virus update: 5 more test positive in Kerala, tally rises to 35
On Friday, two people had tested positive for the deadly virus. A state government release on Friday notified the two persons who tested positive for Zika were residents of Nedungadand Anayara areas in Thiruvananthapuram
The infection tally for Zika virus in Kerala reached 35 with five more people testing positive for it, state health minister Veena George said on Saturday.
One of the positive cases was reported from Ernakulam, the minister said and added that the person concerned was a health worker in Thiruvananthapuram.
Till now all the cases of Zika have been reported from the state capital.
The virus was confirmed in tests conducted at the Virology Lab of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Alappuzha and the Microbiology Lab at Coimbatore, the minister said in a release.
Meanwhile, on Friday, two people had tested positive for the deadly virus.
A state government release on Friday notified the two persons who tested positive for Zika were residents of Nedungadand Anayara areas in Thiruvananthapuram.
On Friday, in a meeting, state Revenue Minister K Rajan and Health Minister Veena George decided to work together, along with the Local Self Government department, for preventing spread of communicable diseases and to strengthen the sanitation committees at the ward level.
They said that besides Zika, cases of dengue too were being reported from various districts and therefore, both have to be dealt with and it can only be done if all three departments work together, the release said.
During the meeting, the stakeholders decided to to formulate a district-wise action plan as soon as possible to prevent further spread of Zika and dengue
It was also decided in the meeting to strengthen prevention activities, like eradicating mosquito breeding grounds and fogging, and spread awareness among people about not allowing water to stagnate in plastic bottles or shells indoors, the release said.
Awareness activities would be strengthened through voluntary organisations, schools and 'Kudumbasree', the release said.
George also said, in the release, that micro-containment would be done at ward level where COVID cases are concerned and efforts are being made to provide the vaccine to all districts as soon as it becomes available.
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