Bengal govt to conduct mass surveillance of hospitals for Zika virus

Kolkata, Feb 24: Following the directive issued by the minsitry of health, the Bengal government has decided to conduct a mass exercise to measure the head circumference of every newborn in the state.

This has been issued to the principals of the government and private medical colleges to monitor if there are any cases of microcephaly in newborns.

The departments have also been asked to submit weekly reports on this birth defect.

The gynac and the obstetric department of government hospitals have been specifically asked to check every newborn for microcephaly, which is a condition where the brain development is less in newborns . In fact, in the wake of Brazil witnessing a spate in number of such cases, WHO has declared it as an emergency.

In Bengal, surveillance will also include babies born at home.

Currently, close to 23 countries have reported the spread of this disease, mostly in Brazil.

OneIndia News