Pune: Central Team Visits Belsar Village Where Zika Virus Patient Has Been Found
Sumit Singh
Pune, 5th August 2021: A central team of three members along with local officials today visited Belsar village in Purandar taluka of Pune district. Maharashtra’s first Zika virus patient, a 50-year-old woman, has been reported in Belsar.
The team inspected the water storage facilities in the village and interacted with Gram Panchayat and health department officials.
The team comprising Dr Himmat Singh from the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Delhi; Associate Professor Dr Shilpi Nain from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi; Dr Mangesh Gokhale of National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, reached Belsar around 10 am and remained there till 1 pm. They were accompanied by District Malaria Officer Dr Ajay Bendre and state health department’s Dr Mahendra Jagtap and Dr Pranil Kamble.
Dr Singh expressed satisfaction about the steps being taken by the state health officials.
Dr Bendre informed that so far, blood samples of about 152 people have been tested and five Dengue, 63 Chikungunya and one Zika virus patient have been found. The 50-year-old woman had contracted Chikungunya along with Zika. She has recovered now.
After the Zika case was reported, the health department immediately started the survey in Belsar, Khanwadi, Walunj, Nilunj, Kothale, Pargaon villages. In the first phase, people with fever and pregnant women have been surveyed.
Dr Bendre said that 24 pregnant women were examined in Belsar and 79 pregnant women from nearby villages.
Tomato cultivation is done on a large scale in the area, which has resulted in traders coming from different parts of the country and state and there is a constant movement of goods. Currently, the situation is under control and there is no danger but citizens should wear full clothes to prevent mosquito bites during the day. People should apply mosquito repellent on the body like Odomos, protect pregnant women and children from mosquitoes, do not store water, preferably use mosquito nets during day and night sleep, he added.
Dr Shilpi said that pregnant women are at greater risk from Zika infection. Pregnant women, if infected, can endanger the unborn child. These women need to take special care. Even if women who are five to six months pregnant are less likely to have this risk, the child needs to be examined by a paediatrician after birth.
“Although the first patient in Maharashtra was found in this area, now the whole situation is in control. The administration is working in a systematic manner. Citizens should take mosquito prevention measures”, said MLA Sanjay Jagtap.
