Zika cases in other districts put Noida on alert

NOIDA: The health department has put Noida hospitals on alert and asked them to conduct tests for Zika virus after three districts in UP, Lucknow, Kanpur and Kannauj, reported over 100 Zika virus cases.
Across Noida, the number of dengue cases is going down but a high number of patients are still reporting at hospitals with fever. So, the health department has sent an advisory to hospitals, asking them to keep a track of all fever cases, conduct tests when required and report immediately in case of any Zika positive patients.
“We have increased surveillance for all government healthcare centres and have alerted private hospitals, too. As of now, there is no Zika virus case in GB Nagar, but we are testing to see if we find any symptoms in anyone,” said a senior health department official.
In Noida, the testing for the Zika virus is being done at four centres, including ones at the Kailash, Fortis and Yathartha hospitals. Child PGI is the only government hospital conducting the tests.
Zika virus is caused by the Aedes mosquito bite; it's the same vector that causes dengue and Chikungunya. It can present symptoms such as mild fever, conjunctivitis, headache, joint pain and skin rashes. While most cases are not serious, it is easily transmitted. The symptoms usually start two to seven days after the mosquito bite.
Doctors, however, said that the symptoms are usually mild and present only in one of every four infected people. There is no specific treatment for the disease and doctors usually recommend plenty of rest and fluids and symptomatic treatment for fever and pain. Pregnant women, however, need to be cautious as the disease can cause complications.