Woman detected with Zika virus infection in Pune; number of cases rises to 7

Woman detected with Zika virus infection in Pune; number of cases rises to 7

A 55-year-old woman has been detected with Zika virus injection in Pune, taking the number of cases to seven, health officials said on Tuesday.

The city had on Monday reported six cases of the infection, and two of the patients were pregnant women.

In the latest case, a woman from Dahanukar colony in Kothrud developed rashes and suffered from joint pains. Her reports came positive for Zika virus on Monday, an official from the Pune Municipal Corporation said.

The woman's health is good, and there was no need for hospitalisation, he said.

Two pregnant women aged 28 and 35 are among seven cases in the city.

Zika virus in pregnant women may cause microcephaly (a condition in which the head is significantly smaller due to abnormal brain development) in the foetus.

The first case of Zika virus was reported at Erandwane, where a 46-year-old doctor's report came back positive. His 15-year-old daughter also tested positive for the infection, officials said.

Zika virus gets transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which is also known to transmit infections like dengue and chikungunya.

The Pune Municipal Corporation's health department is conducting surveillance. As a precautionary measure, it is undertaking fogging and fumigation to curb the breeding of mosquitoes, they said.