Maharashtra earlier reported cases in Pune and Palghar.
The BMC in a release said the patient began showing symptoms, including fever, nasal congestion and a persistent cough, from July 19. He received symptomatic treatment from a private medical practitioner and was discharged on August 2. It was confirmed as Zika infection after the National Institute of Virology sent the report of his samples.
Dr Sudhakar Shinde, additional municipal commissioner, said BMC health teams carried out a survey of households in the neighbourhood of the infected person but didn’t find any more suspected Zika cases. He added that the Zika virus disease is self-limiting, and around 80% of those infected are asymptomatic (see box).
The patient had multiple comorbidities. He had undergone angioplasty 20 years ago and is currently managing diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and thalassemia minor. However, he didn’t have a travel history.
Since the Zika virus is primarily transmitted through infected Aedes mosquitoes, the BMC said they initiated vector control measures after discovering Aedes breeding in the parking areas of the building where the case was detected.
In the previous cases found in Palghar and Pune, there wasn’t much spread. Nonetheless, public health measures, including mosquito control and awareness campaigns, will be done to curb the spread of the vector breeding, he said. As a preventive measure, citizens are encouraged to take steps to prevent mosquito breeding. BMC officials also added that Zika virus testing facilities are available at the civic-run KEM hospital.
The first patient in Maharashtra was found in Pune in July 2021. A year later, the second case was found. The patient was a seven-year-old from the ashramshala at Jhai (block Talasari). A 67-year-old man from Nashik district tested positive for Zika while in Pune, becoming the state’s third case to be detected.
