With the WHO declaring Zika virus disease a public health emergency, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday issued detailed guidelines to deal with the mosquito-borne virus including an advisory to travellers (both male and female) to consider postponing their travel to affected countries.
Also, all the international airports and ports have been asked to display billboards and signage providing information to travelers on Zika virus disease and to report to custom authorities if they are returning from affected countries and suffering from febrile illness, symptom of the disease.
The guideline advises non-essential travel to the affected countries to be deferred or cancelled while pregnant women or women who are trying to become pregnant should defer/ cancel their travel to the affected areas.
Pregnant women who have travelled to areas with Zika virus transmission should mention about their travel during antenatal visits in order to be assessed and monitored appropriately, as per the guidelines.
The Ministry said the overall situation would be monitored by a ‘joint monitoring group’ under Director General of Health Services (DGHS) while the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) would identify the research priorities and take appropriate action.
Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) shall be activated at Central and State surveillance units with each team comprising an epidemiologist or public health specialist, a microbiologist and a medical specialist, the ministry added.
The National Centre for Disease Control in Delhi would be the nodal agency for investigation of any outbreaks in India, it said.
“I have instructed all concerned to take steps for preventing entry and transmission of the virus in India. Sufficient diagnostic capacity and risk communication are also key elements of strategy on Zika virus. My Ministry is fully geared to deal with Zika virus. No case reported in India. No need to panic,” Health Minister JP Nadda said in a series of tweets.
WHO South-East Asia Regional Director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh urged countries in the region to strengthen surveillance and take preventive measures against the Zika virus disease which is strongly suspected to have a causal relation with clusters of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities.