Four Zika cases reported in India so far, govt tells Rajya Sabha

Of the four cases, three were reported from Gujarat and one from Tamil Nadu, minister for state for health Faggan Singh Kulaste said in Parliament.

Four cases of the Zika infection have been reported in the country so far, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

A female Aedes aegypti mosquito is known to be a carrier of the Zika virus (AP File Photo)

Three laboratory-confirmed cases, including that of a pregnant woman, were reported from Bapunagar area of Ahmedabad district in Gujarat. The fourth case was from Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste said the Zika infection causes mild disease which has symptoms like fever, body ache and headache, among others.

“The majority of those infected do not have any symptoms. Cases require only symptomatic treatment. Hospitalisation is not required.

“Very few among those affected develop the neurological illness called Guillain-Barré syndrome which requires intensive care. Such patients can be managed in the ICUs of government and private hospitals,” he said in his reply.