After rising cases of dengue in the state, the mosquito-borne diseases have reared their head in Gujarat again.
A suspicious case from a hospital in Gandhinagar has turned out to be positive, marking a second suspected case of the virus.
The samples from the patient in Gandhinagar were sent to laboratories in Pune, and they came out positive today.
What is Zika virus?
Zika virus spreads mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito, which bites during the day. The virus can be passed from a pregnant woman to her foetus and can cause infants to be born with microcephaly and other congenital malformations.
It is also associated with other complications of pregnancy including preterm birth and miscarriage, individuals infected with the Zika virus can also transmit the disease to their sex partners.
Most of them do not develop symptoms or are very mild. No specific treatment or vaccine is available as mostly it is self-limiting.
How to prevent mosquito-borne diseases?
Don’t allow water to remain stagnant in and around your house. Clean the blocked drains. Empty room air coolers and flower vases completely at least once in seven days and then refill them.
The tray below the fridge is also to be cleaned. Keep the water tanks and water containers tightly covered so that the mosquitoes cannot enter them and start breeding.
Spraying of DDT, Malathion and Pyrethrum etc. over all the walls of the house. Use insecticidal sprays in all areas within the house at least once a week.