The second wave of Covid-19 pandemic is in retreat, much slower in Kerala, which now has detected the first confirmed case of Zika virus infection. It was confirmed on Thursday in a 24-year-old pregnant woman in Thiruvananthapuram.

The condition of the woman is stable, who gave birth to a child on June 7. She had begun showing symptoms on June 28 and was admitted to a hospital. When tests for other viral infections returned negative, the doctors recommended a Zika virus test.

Thirteen others are suspected to have contracted the virus. Samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. The Kerala government is waiting for confirmation from the NIV.

WHAT IS ZIKA VIRUS?

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that spreads through the bite of an infected Aedes species of mosquito named Aedes aegypti. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day, peaking during early morning and late afternoon or evening. This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.

For the majority of people, Zika virus infection is not a serious issue. But it can be very dangerous among pregnant women, especially for foetuses. The infection can cause microcephaly (a brain disability condition) or other conditions called congenital Zika syndrome.

The virus easily transmits from a pregnant woman to her foetus. It can also spread through sexual contact, transfusion of blood and blood products, and organ transplantation. Scientists are still researching the full range of effects of the Zika virus on pregnancy outcomes and neurological disorders in children and adults.

Diagnosis of the Zika virus can only be confirmed by blood tests or other through body fluids, such as urine or semen.

Zika virus can be transmitted through sexual intercourse. “This is of concern due to an association between Zika virus infection and adverse pregnancy and fetal outcomes,” WHO said adding that contraceptive measures should be used.

WHEN WAS ZIKA IDENTIFIED?

The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys and was later found in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Since then, outbreaks of the virus have been seen in Africa, America, Asia and the Pacific, while rare cases of human infections were found across Africa and Asia.

The first reported outbreak of Zika was on the Island of Yap in 2007. A massive outbreak was recorded in 2013 in French Polynesia.

The outbreak in Brazil in 2015 became a real scare making headlines across the globe. Soon cases were seen in the US, Africa, and other regions of the world.

According to the WHO, so far 86 countries have reported evidence of mosquito-transmitted Zika virus.

SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

According to the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC), many people infected by the virus won’t have symptoms or show mild symptoms that include fever, rash, headache, joint pain, red eyes, muscle pain. The symptoms can last for several days, and if it continues for long, they might need hospital care.

Diagnosis of the Zika virus can only be confirmed by blood tests or other through body fluids, such as urine or semen.

There is no specific medicine for the treatment of Zika virus infection. There is no vaccine for protection from Zika virus. There is a Zika-appropriate behaviour protocol that is recommended to stay safe and be prevented from this viral infection.

Precautions recommended against Zika virus infection include:

• Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants
• Staying in places with air conditioning and windows
• Mosquito-netting can be used to cover babies younger than two months
• Not using products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children younger than three years

According to the WHO, pregnant women living in areas with known Zika virus transmission or who develop symptoms of Zika virus infection should seek medical attention for laboratory testing and other clinical care.