States asked to maintain vigil, screen pregnant women
PANAJI
Dengue may be the current public health scare the health authorities are literally on their toes to tackle with newer areas turning into hotspots but the threat of yet another vector-borne virus – Zika – with more cases detected in neighbouring Maharashtra rising also looms over the State.
Following cases detected in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra, the Centre on Wednesday issued advisories to all States administrations to keep vigil for cases of Zika virus constantly: screen pregnant women and monitor growth of foetuses of expecting mothers who tested positive.
The advisory also asks that awareness be promoted including through social media to stem the possibility of panic among the public.
On the ground, the authorities in the State have also been told to intensify measures and activities to control the vector (mosquito) breeding in residential localities and around schools, construction sites and office (workplace) commercial districts.
Interestingly, like dengue, the Zika virus too is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito and officials of the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme in the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) said they are already taking vector control measures seriously and on a large scale across Goa.
DHS officials when contacted said there is no immediate threat of Zika in Goa and no case has been reported from here yet although reports of cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra is a warning to be vigilant.
Until Wednesday, Maharashtra’s Zika tally had touched eight, including six in nearby Pune. There was also one case in Kolhapur.
