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Written By: Agencies | Updated : October 11, 2018 7:43 AM IST
Rajasthan Health minister Kalicharan Saraf on Wednesday visited the Zika-affected areas in Jaipur's Shastri Nagar and reviewed initiatives being taken by the health officials in checking the spread of the virus. Speaking with media, he said the situation is under control in the city. "There are sufficient medicines available with the department. The samples of those suffering from fever or showing symptoms of zika virus are being sent to SMS Hospital for further tests. The guidelines of Union Health Ministry are being followed," he said. Saraf was accompanied by Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Arun Chaturvedi. The two visited Kanwatiya hospital and spoke to medical officials to get the report on the disease. The officials were directed to take all necessary measures to check the spread of virus. A total of 29 cases of Zika virus have been confirmed in Jaipur. This is the biggest Zika outbreak in the history of India. According to the officials, on September 23 the first case of Zika Virus was reported, following which tests by the authorities established traces of the virus in the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes on September 26. All the cases are from Jaipur's Shastri Nagar area. Around 450 samples have been sent for testing of which 160 are of pregnant ladies. Among the 29 people tested positive, three are women, who were expecting children, and on Monday one gave birth.
Doctor P Ravindran, who is director of Emergency Medical Relief under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reportedly said the present outbreak of Zika in Rajasthan was the biggest in the history of India till now, surpassing the past two instances in Ahmedabad and Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu.
Until now more than 26,000 homes have been surveyed by officials with the help of teams from the health department along with 29,000 breeding places for the mosquito that carries this virus. They have dedicated all their machinery to contain the disease. Five laboratories have been set up in the state in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jhalawar, and Kota for testing of samples.
Source: IANS
