Pune: Two Zika virus cases reported in Erandwane

Doctor and his teen daughter, both residents of Erandwane in Pune, have tested positive for Zika virus infection, becoming the first two cases in the city this year. PMC has begun door-to-door surveillance in the area.

25 June 2024

Pune- The city has reported two cases of Zika virus infection this year. The first case is a 46-year-old man from Erandwane who is a doctor by profession and is associated with two major hospitals in Pune. The second case is his 15-year-old daughter who is displaying mild symptoms including fever.

Officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) stated that the man had symptoms such as fever and rash and was undergoing treatment at the Mai Mangeshkar Hospital. His blood samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune on June 18. The NIV reports received on June 20 confirmed that the doctor has a Zika virus infection.

The second patient is a 15-year-old girl, who is the doctor’s daughter. She has mild symptoms, including fever. Her blood samples were sent to the NIV for testing on June 21st, and upon receiving the results, it was confirmed that she had contracted the Zika virus. She is currently at home and receiving treatment through outpatient care (OPD).

Zika virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is also known to transmit infections like dengue and chikungunya. The majority of those infected with Zika either have no symptoms or experience mild symptoms such as fever, rash, conjunctivitis, body aches, and joint pain. In pregnant women, Zika infection can cause microcephaly in the fetus.

The PMC health officials and communicable diseases experts visited the area after two cases were detected. The public health department team also visited Erandwane on Monday. The doctor had five family members, including his parents, wife, and daughter. According to the officials, his parents and wife are asymptomatic.

Surveillance activities are being conducted in the entire Erandwane area and will continue for the next 14 days. Mosquito breeding was observed in a few societies in the area, and show-cause notices have been issued to six housing societies. Door-to-door surveillance has begun, and the team is spraying insecticide and fogging in the housing society and the adjoining areas where the two patients live. However, no suspected case has been detected during the door-to-door surveillance.

PMC has urged citizens with fever to visit the nearest PMC hospitals and get tested for Zika virus infection. As the vector for Zika, dengue, and chikungunya is the same mosquito, there is a high possibility of in-house breeding of Aedes mosquitoes. Citizens are expected to maintain cleanliness in their houses and their surrounding areas. Stagnant water inside the house, on the terrace, or surrounding the house should be cleared to avoid contracting the vector-borne disease.