Maharashtra's first Zika Virus case has been detected in Mumbai after a 79-year-old man was reported to be infected. The patient is said to have recovered fully. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has released a statement saying 'people should not panic as Zika infection is a self-limiting disease.'
The Pune-based National Institute of Virology confirmed that the patient, a resident of suburban Chembur, was infected with Zika virus and had symptoms including fever, stuffy nose and cough from July 19. According to BMC, the patient had undergone angioplasty 20 years ago and has multiple comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and thalassemia minor.
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Zika Virus Disease is a "mild illness" caused by the Zika virus and is transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes that also transmit Dengue and Chikungunya, the release said.
“Aedes breeding was found in the parking of buildings and vector control measures were undertaken,” the release said. People should not panic but take steps to prevent mosquito breeding, it said. Zika virus testing facility is available at the civic-run KEM hospital.
Fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise and headache are symptoms of the Zika virus infection, the release stated.
(With PTI inputs)
