Six people, including two pregnant women, have been infected with the Zika virus in Pune, health officials announced on Monday. Four cases were reported in the Erandwane area and two in the Mundhwa area.
The Zika virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which also transmits diseases like dengue and chikungunya. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947.
Last night, a 16-week pregnant woman tested positive for the Zika virus, raising the current count to six. Last week, a 28-year-old woman, who is 22 weeks pregnant, also tested positive for the infection.
Health officials have reported that the condition of the two pregnant women is stable.
Zika virus infection during pregnancy can lead to microcephaly in the fetus, a condition where the head is significantly smaller due to abnormal brain development.
Previously, a 46-year-old doctor and his teenage daughter tested positive for the Zika virus, and their health conditions are stable. The doctor experienced symptoms such as fever and rashes and was subsequently admitted to a private hospital.
An official stated that the Pune Municipal Corporation is implementing measures to reduce mosquito breeding, including fogging and fumigation.
“The Pune Municipal Corporation’s health department is conducting surveillance and taking precautionary measures such as fogging and fumigation to curb mosquito breeding,” the official told news agency PTI.
(with inputs from PTI)
