Amid COVID-19 scare, Zika virus emerges in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, July 08: In the first case of Zika virus in Kerala, a 24-year-old pregnant woman has been diagnosed with the mosquito transmitted disease, State Health Minister Veena George said on Thursday.

There are 13 other suspectedcases of the virus from Thiruvananthapuram, the minister toldPTI, adding the government was awaiting confirmation from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Pune.

Of the 19 samples sent from Thiruvananthapuram, 13 health workers, including doctors, are suspected to be positive for Zika, the minister said.

The woman, hailing from Parassalain Thiruvananthapuram district, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital here, delivered her baby onJuly7.

She hadbeen admitted to the hospital on June 28 with fever, headache and red marks on her body.

The tests conducted at the hospital confirmed that she was positive following which her samples were sent to NIV, Pune.

The condition of the woman was satisfactory. Though she does not have any travel history outside the state, her house is on the Tamil Nadu border. A week ago,hermother had also shown similar symptoms, a government release added. The symptoms of Zika are similar to dengue including fever, skin rashes and joint pain.