Zika Virus Makes Entry Into Pune: Health Department Initiates Immediate Preventive Measures
Pune, 15th November 2023: The first case of Zika virus in Pune has been reported, prompting the health department to initiate preventive measures in the affected area.
The patient, a 64-year-old woman residing in Pratik Nagar, Yerawada, tested positive for the Zika virus, marking the city’s first instance of the disease this year.
The woman had recently attended a cultural program in Pimpri-Chinchwad, where she may have come into contact with an infected person. Following the event, she experienced symptoms such as fever and body aches, leading to her admission to a private hospital in Pune. Subsequent tests confirmed the presence of the Zika virus.
Given that individuals from Kerala also attended the same cultural program, health authorities are investigating the possibility that the woman contracted the virus from one of the attendees. In response to the confirmed case, Dr. Pratap Singh Saranikar, Joint Director of the Health Department, visited the patient in Pratik Nagar, Yerawada, and emphasized the importance of proper health care.
Preventive measures have been set in motion, with orders issued to Pune Municipal Corporation employees to implement suitable measures in areas where Zika patients are identified. As a precautionary step, samples from five family members of the infected patient have been sent to the National Institute of Virology for testing. The health department is actively monitoring the situation and implementing measures to curb the spread of the Zika virus in the region.
