Kanpur: An Air Force Station personnel tested positive for the Zika in Kanpur on Sunday, official sources say. He is the first patient of Zika virus to have been found.
A team of experts from Delhi has reached Kanpur and samples of those who came in contact with the patient have been sent for examination.
Official sources said that the patient is an Air Force Station personnel. He is admitted to Air Force Hospital. Based on the symptoms, the hospital management sent his sample to Pune for examination. The report came on Saturday.
The Air Force Warrant Officer was suffering from fever for the past several days.
Ten teams have been set up to check the spread of the virus.
The Union Health Ministry on Monday has sent a high-level team to Uttar Pradesh following the detection of a Zika virus case in Kanpur.
The multidisciplinary team is comprised of entomologists, public health specialists, and gynaecologists drawn from the national vector-borne disease control programme under the national centre for disease control.
The team will assist the State health authorities with control and containment measures for the Zika virus.
According to the Health Ministry, the team shall work closely with the State health department, take stock of the situation on the ground and assess whether the Union Health Ministry's action plan for zika management is being implemented.
"The team will also recommend necessary public health interventions for the management of Zika in Uttar Pradesh," the health ministry said.
It may be mentioned here that in July the first Zika case was detected in Kerala. During the period from July 8 to 26, 2021, 590 blood samples were collected in Kerala through active case finding and passive surveillance. Of the total, 70 persons tested positive for Zika virus.
In July, Maharastra also reported its first Zika laboratory case.
A WHO report said that protection against mosquito bites during the day and early evening is a key measure to prevent Zika virus infection.
"Special attention should be given to the prevention of mosquito bytes among pregnant women and going children," the WHO said.
