BHOPAL: The state government has sounded an alert on the Zika virus in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that no case had been reported in the state so far, but an alert has been sounded in the state after 14 Zika virus cases were detected in Kerala. The health department has instructed all the districted to take preventive measures.
The authorities concerned have been instructed to dispose of solid waste to prevent Aedes breeding in peri-domestic areas. Vector management should include surveillance of larvae and biological and chemical control in households, community and institutional levels.
The authorities have been tasked to conduct Aedes larval surveillance and source reduction activities in the rural and urban civic wards. The order has advised the local authorities to collect samples from suspected cases and send for testing.
The symptoms and prevention
* The Zika virus is spread by the daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes, such as A. aegypti and A. albopictus
* The infection, known as Zika fever or Zika virus disease, which often causes no symptoms, or only mild onesósimilar to a very mild form of dengue fever
* Zika virus presents such symptoms as fever, rashes, conjunctivitis and joint pain
* As the monsoon allows proliferation of the Aedes mosquito, which is a vector for the Zika virus disease, surveillance should be carried out in the rural and urban areas across the state on a war footing
Pool parties banned
"The administration has been put on alert over the dengue, malaria and Zika virus. All kinds of parties, including pool parties, are totally prohibited in the state capital and if such parties are found being held in the city, strict action will be taken." -Avinash Lavania, collector, Bhopal.
None in MP, so far
"So far, no Zika virus case has been detected in Madhya Pradesh. Weíre alert and are keeping a close vigil on the situation after Zika virus cases were detected in Kerala." -Akash Tripathi, commissioner, Health.