While Delhi is at risk of Zika virus due to increase in cases of dengue and chikungyunya, however, as of now there is no case of Zika till now, said health officials, who suggested that regular monitoring at the airport is required to diagnose passengers coming from Zika-infected countries.
Recently, 13 Indians at Singapore have been diagnosed positive for Zika. Dr AC Dhariwal, Director, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) said, "The ongoing fever surveillance is being done at National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and AIIMS
laboratory."
The clinical feature of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus is different. Doctors said in dengue there is hemorrhagic fever while in chikungunya there is a risk of prolong joint pain which may be for a period of six months to one year and on the other hand, in Zika virus there can be fever and body pain only to the men with mild illness, after which they'll be alright.
However, to the pregnant women there can be a risk of microcephaly to the baby. But scientists are yet to ascertain percentage risk of transmission of the virus from pregnant women to the baby.
Dr Sujeet Chatterjee, Director Internal Medicine at Apollo Hospital said, "There will always be a fear as Delhi is one of the international tourist destination. A lot of surveillance is needed at airports to check people returning to from Zika-hit countries."
Zika Virus has spread widely in Brazil, South America and South East Asian Countries with tens of thousands of cases reported so far, infecting pregnant women with Zika due to which they delivered babies with microcephaly, an abnormally small head circumference (incomplete brain development). Interestingly, men are lucky in this case. A few deaths have also been reported in other countries.
It may be noted that ades mosquito are known as 'urban and sophisticated mosquito" which lives around houses.
The Central Government has issued travel advisory urging pregnant women to defer or cancel their travel to Zika-hit areas. If a man is travelling to Zika-hit country, then he should take proper precaution such as applying mosquito repellant cream and lotion on regular basis.
Zika originated from in the late 1940's Zika started to spread in Africa with an outbreak in Uganda. later it spread to South East Asia and Pacific islands but it reached to South America in couple of years back with cases in Mexico and Brazil. Now, it has spread its terror across the globe, with India being most vulnerable destination for it.