In the wake of two Zika virus cases in Pune’s Erandwane area, a team of experts from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) visited the affected locality on Wednesday. The NIV team collected samples of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, known carriers of the Zika virus, and advised the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to intensify surveillance and containment measures.
Earlier, health experts, including epidemiologists from the public health department, visited Erandwane on Tuesday. They collected mosquito samples and issued an alert covering a five-kilometer radius around the area. This response followed the confirmation of Zika virus infection in a 46-year-old doctor and his 15-year-old daughter on June 20-21.
The Zika virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which also spreads diseases like dengue and chikungunya. Most Zika-infected individuals remain asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms such as fever, rash, conjunctivitis, body aches, and joint pain. However, in pregnant women, Zika infection can lead to severe birth defects like microcephaly.
Dr. Rajesh Dighe, assistant health officer of PMC, emphasized that the health team has begun active surveillance in the area. Efforts include door-to-door screenings, identifying suspected patients, and eliminating mosquito breeding sites to prevent virus transmission. Although no suspected Zika patients have been found so far, human samples will be sent for testing if mosquito samples test positive for the virus.
On Wednesday, the PMC health department held a meeting with doctors, healthcare staff, ward medical officers, and zonal medical officers. The meeting focused on precise epidemiological surveys and discussed preventive and containment measures. Health officials were instructed to maintain records of all fever patients within their jurisdictions. Special attention will be given to fever patients with rash and pregnant women showing symptoms of Zika virus infection.
Suspected cases will be promptly tested by NIV, and ongoing monitoring will be conducted in PMC-run hospitals across the city. Additionally, health teams have been directed to ensure adequate stockpiles of necessary medications. The coordinated response by the NIV and PMC aims to mitigate the Zika virus threat and safeguard public health in Pune.
