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Lucknow DM makes it mandatory for hospitals to treat Zika patients
Till now 399 samples from suspected cases have been tested in laboratory and three tested positive for zika in Lucknow.
The Lucknow district administration has made it mandatory for all hospitals in the state capital to treat those infected with the Zika virus.
“No hospital can deny treatment to a Zika patient. The hospital will admit and treat the patient,” the Lucknow district magistrate’s office confirmed after a meeting chaired by the district magistrate Abhishek Prakash on Monday.
Till now 399 samples from suspected cases have been tested in laboratory and three tested positive for zika in Lucknow.
“If a person from Lalkuan, Husainganj or Kanpur Road, from where three cases have been reported, goes for blood donation or for consultation at hospital, they shall be screened for any symptoms on priority,” the DM asked the health officials at a meeting.
“Also, samples from all fever cases getting admitted to hospitals should be tested for Zika and hospitals should prepare a ward for patients reporting illness from mosquito bite. If there is no separate ward then mosquito net should be used for each patient,” he said.
It was also decided that fever clinics that were previously running for covid cases shall be started again. “The integrated covid command centres shall monitor fever cases and also ensure there is no panic regarding Zika and Dengue. Hospitals will put up dos and don’ts regarding Dengue and Zika prominently,” he said.
“Prevention for both Zika and Dengue is the same. Avoid mosquito bite and remove stagnated water. Using a mosquito net at home is the ultimate protection against mosquito bite,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general association of international doctors.
The health teams visited 3299 houses in different areas on Monday to check sources of mosquito breeding and served notices to 7 house owners where stagnated water was spotted.
Also, health teams collected 33 samples from among 5196 people screened in Safdalbagh, 43 samples from among 3779 people in Phoolbagh and 7 samples in Sambhalkheda from among 4205 people screened during the day. Zika cases have been reported from these areas. In all 69 samples taken from people in close contacts of the three cases in these three areas tested negative for Zika. Samples were taken two days before.
