Alarmed by cases of Zika virus in neighbouring Kerala, Karnataka on Friday issued guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease in the state. A six-member central team of experts has been dispatched to Kerala to monitor the Zika virus situation and support the state government in management of cases, the Union health ministry said on Friday. The symptoms of Zika are similar to dengue and they include fever, rashes and joint pain.
Zika Virus: Karntaka issues guidelines
- As monsoon season allows the proliferation of Aedes mosquito, which is a vector for Zika virus disease, surveillance should be carried in rural and urban areas across the state on war footing
- Authorities concerned should dispose solid waste to prevent Aedes breeding in peri-domestic areas
- The vector management should include surveillance of larvae, biological and chemical control at household, community and institutional levels
- Aedes larval surveillance and source reduction activities should be held in airports, sea ports and in rural and urban civic wards
- Travel history or visit of guests should be considered for suspecting the disease
- Local authority should collect samples from suspected cases and send them to National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Bengaluru for testing
- During ultra-sound scanning for pregnant women, focus should be given for presence of microcephaly. If detected, the serum sample of the pregnant women should be sent to NIV for testing
As Zika cases have been reported in Kerala, border districts like Chamarajanagar, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi have been asked to be more vigilant.
Kerala was put on alert on Friday following the outbreak of Zika virus in the state, while the Centre rushed a team of experts to monitor the situation and aid the state government in the management of the cases after 13 new ones were confirmed.
The number of cases due to the mosquito-transmitted disease in the southern state went up to 14 on Friday following confirmation of 13 additional samples by the National Institute of Virology.
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