Blood samples of pregnant women sent for Zika test

JAIPUR: Blood samples of four pregnant women and four persons suffering from fever were taken on Tuesday by health authorities inspecting Shastri Nagar area where first case of Zika virus infection was found recently.

A seven-member Centre’s team arrived Jaipur, which also inspected the affected area. The team members reviewed public health measures being undertaken by the state health department for Zika virus disease and they have also made recommendations to carry out activities for preventing spread of Zika in the area.

Centre’s team was headed by National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) Dr AC Dhariwal, the members of the teams were National Council for Disease Control director Dr SK Singh, National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune scientist Dr BV Tandale, directorate general of health sciences (DGHS) chief medical officer (emergency medical relief) Dr UB Das, NVBDCP joint director Dr Sukhbir Singh, NIV scientist Dr Shilpa Tomar and National Institute of Malaria Research scientist Dr Himmat Singh inspected Shastri Nagar area and reviewed measures taken by health department officials for preventing spread of Zika.

However, health department constituted 50 teams and 20 supervisors which were deployed in affected area. The teams surveyed 2360 houses, said Dr Ravi Prakash Mathur, additional director (rural health) health department.

The teams found breeding grounds of mosquitoes which were treated with temiphose. “We have conducted anti-larvae activities in 279 containers, which were found with mosquito larvae during survey,” a health department official said. Moreover, during house to house survey, the health department’s teams found 73 pregnant women. Also, there were 78 persons suffering from fever.

The health department in coordination with Sawai Man Singh medical college, will collect samples of all the patients on Wednesday.

The official said that blood and urine samples have been collected of four pregnant females and four fever patients. Samples sent to SMS medical college for further investigations.

Besides, entomological surveillance was also done and health department officials instructed to repeat anti-adult mosquito measures, which is fogging.