As the plenty of citizen infected with the Zika virus rose to 80 in Rajasthan, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday managed the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to monitor the cases on a daily basis, while urging the people not to panic.
The ministry said it was working along with the state governments, the local authorities and the municipal corporations for augmenting and strengthening their efforts in vector control, surveillance and awareness activities.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review the activities for prevention and control of the Zika virus and seasonal influenza here, Union Health Minister J P Nadda also stressed the need to undertake exhaustive control measures, including fogging, while also strengthening surveillance to facilitate early identification of cases.
Zika is caused by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which also transmits dengue and chikungunya and breeds in open, stagnant water.
Nadda was also briefed about the activities undertaken by the ministry to control the Zika virus in Rajasthan.
“He was informed that 80 cases have been reported from the state while 330 teams have already been deployed in the affected wards of Shastri Nagar (Jaipur). A population of about 4,34,515 has been brought under surveillance.
“Around 86,903 houses have been surveyed. 2,04,875 breeding sites were checked for larvae breeding and 74,483 were found to have larvae breeding,” an official statement issued after the meeting said.
It pointed out that health workers undertook on-spot source reduction and containers were treated with temiphose during the survey.
The health workers have also carried out focal spray and fogging in the affected areas, which were recommended by the team supervisors.
“Considering the seasonality of the seasonal influenza, Nadda has directed the officials to ensure continuous monitoring and vigil on all cases. He has specifically instructed that early detection, reporting and proper categorisation of patients is critical for seasonal influenza management.
“The minister has instructed the NCDC to monitor the cases on a daily basis. He has suggested that the states shall ensure that proper awareness is created regarding the prevention and management of seasonal influenza. All states shall also ensure that sufficient supplies of drugs and testing kits are maintained,” the statement said.
