Zika virus in UP: Centre rushes high-level team to Kanpur to assess situation

The high-level team shall work closely with the state health department and take a stock of the situation on the ground, the Union health ministry said in a statement.

The Union health ministry on Monday rushed a multi-disciplinary team to Uttar Pradesh where a case of the Zika virus disease case has been reported.

Representational image.

A 57-year-old man from Kanpur had tested positive for the viral disease on October 22.

The high-level team, comprising an entomologist, public health specialists and gynaecologist drawn from the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, National Centre for Disease Control and RML Hospital, New Delhi, shall work closely with the state health department and take a stock of the situation on the ground.

In a statement, the ministry further said it would also be assessed whether the Centre's Action Plan for Zika management was being implemented. The team would further recommend necessary public health interventions for containing the spread of the virus in the state.

A warrant officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF) was diagnosed with the infection on Saturday, the first case in Kanpur.

Chief Medical Officer Nepal Singh said the IAF officer was suffering from fever for the past several days and was admitted to the Air Force Hospital in the district.

Due to mysterious symptoms, his blood samples were sent to Pune where it was confirmed that the patient was Zika virus positive, he said, adding the report was received on Saturday.

Twenty-two more samples of persons who came in contact with the patient and those who had similar symptoms were also sent for examination, Singh said.

Kerala was the first state to have reported a case of Zika virus in a pregnant woman on July 8, following which a high alert was issued in the state.

(With inputs from agencie)