BackThe Zika scare
An outbreak could prove costly and it is essential that the virus is stamped out before it gets a chance to spread.The effects of its infection can vary from case to case, but at it worst, it can impact the brain, impair the nervous system and harm unborn babies
PremiumIndia’s health ministry has sent a high-level team of multidisciplinary experts to Uttar Pradesh to assist state authorities in efforts to assess the situation and contain Zika after an Indian Air Force official in Kanpur tested positive for the virus. Thankfully, 22 people who the individual came in contact with have tested negative, though the source of the infection is yet to be ascertained.
The Centre’s response underscores the gravity of the threat. An outbreak could prove costly and it is essential that the virus is stamped out before it gets a chance to spread. This it does through Aedes mosquito bites and so the menace of stagnant water must be fought, which is also necessary to prevent dengue and other diseases associated with this insect species. Kerala had reported a case of Zika in July, followed by Maharashtra in August. Its detection now in UP suggests a broader expanse of the country may be vulnerable to Zika than we’d thought. The effects of its infection can vary from case to case, but at it worst, it can impact the brain, impair the nervous system and harm unborn babies. Zika hasn’t posed a health crisis in India so far, but we must not take any chance.
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