Karnataka reports first Zika virus case, 5-yr-old girl infected

A 5-year-old girl in Karnataka's Raichur has tested positive for the Zika virus and she has been advised to take precautionary measures.

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Bengaluru: The first case of Zika virus was reported in Karnataka, said state Health Minister K Sudhakar on Monday.

A 5-year-old girl in Karnataka’s Raichur has tested positive for the Zika virus and she has been advised to take precautionary measures.

During the presser, “Health Minister said that this was the first case in the State, and the government was monitoring the situation. Our department is well prepared to handle it.”

“Three specimens were sent to the Pune lab on December 5 and the report came on December 8. According to the report, two specimens were negative and one turned out to be Zika positive,” he said.

“This is the first confirmed case in Karnataka. It came to light when the serum was subjected to Dengue and Chikungunya tests. Usually, 10 percent of such samples are sent to Pune for test, out of which this has come across as positive,” the Minister also said.

Zika virus is transmitted through Aedes mosquitoes, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). These mosquitoes can also transmit dengue, chikungunya, and urban yellow fever. Zika virus is diagnosed through a blood test or tests involving other body fluids. There is no specific treatment or vaccine for Zika virus yet.

According to WHO, common symptoms are rashes, fever, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headaches.

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