9 samples from Pune test negative for Zika

Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer of PMC, said the reports of serum samples sent to NIV were received on Friday and all have tested negative for Zika infection

After suspected serum samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune tested negative, health authorities confirmed on Friday that there is no outbreak of Zika virus in Pune city.

The PMC Health department had been on high alert after the first case of Zika virus was reported in Pune city on 11 November in a 64-year-old woman from Pratik Nagar, Yerwada. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials confirmed that none of the nine samples collected from the Yerwada and Vishrantwadi areas tested positive for vector-borne disease.

The PMC Health department had been on high alert after the first case of Zika virus was reported in Pune city on 11 November in a 64-year-old woman from Pratik Nagar, Yerwada.

Following this, the civic body started surveillance in the area and sent serum samples of suspected fever patients to NIV. Out of these nine samples, five samples belong to the family members of the confirmed Zika-infected women and four samples of patients from the Vishrantwadi area. All these samples have tested negative for Zika virus infection, they confirmed.

Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer of PMC, said the reports of serum samples sent to NIV were received on Friday and all have tested negative for Zika infection.

“There is no Zika virus outbreak in Pune and the only cases which were reported is a sporadic case. The woman had a travel history to Kerala state, where Zika infection is rampant. The source of infection for the virus is not from the city. However, we will continue to conduct surveillance and monitoring in the area,” he said.

Dr Bhagwan Pawar, PMC health officer said, a meeting of health department officials and medical officers was held on Thursday to check the spread of the Zika virus in the city.

“Pune has a large chunk of the population working in the healthcare sector and are from Kerala state where Zika virus is rampant. All officials have been asked to be on alert and send suspected samples to NIV for confirmation. The medical officers in Yerwada Ward Office jurisdiction have been asked to coordinate with the private clinics and hospitals under their purview to monitor fever cases,” Pawar said.