Govt alerts states as Zika cases rise; focus on pregnant women
health ministry said no cases of Zika-associated microcephaly have been reported in India since 2016. To ensure timely detection and control of any potential outbreak, state authorities have been advised to be vigilant, prepared, and ensure the availability of appropriate logistics at all levels.
States were also urged to immediately report any detected cases to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC). Zika testing is available at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, and selected virus research and diagnostic laboratories of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
While the DGHS had issued an advisory on 26 April to forewarn states about Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya, which are transmitted by the same vector mosquito, the director of NCVBDC had issued two advisories in February and April. In 2016, India reported its first Zika case in Gujarat.
Since then, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Karnataka have reported cases. In 2024 (as of 2 July), Maharashtra reported eight cases—six cases in Pune, and one each from Kolhapur and Sangamner.
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