Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday informed that another two cases of the Zika virus were reported in the state. Both the cases are detected from the suburbs of Thiruvananthapuram.
“Two more people in the state have been diagnosed with the Zika virus. A 35-year-old resident of Poonthura and a 41-year-old resident of Sasthamangalam. With this, 21 Zika virus cases are confirmed in the state,” said George.
As Kerala reported its first case on Wednesday last week, the state health minister had launched a state-wide vector-borne disease control program to ramp up testing and implement precautions in place to curb the spread. Testing centres were arranged at Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kozhikode Medical colleges and at National Institute of Virology (NIV), Alappuzha.
Earlier, on Monday, a 73-year-old woman was tested positive for the virus. The health minister on Sunday said that hospitals have been instructed to test patients, especially pregnant women, with fever, rashes and body pain. Experts say that Zika virus is not a major malady and can be controlled with effective vector borne disease control programmes.
Neighbouring state, Tamil Nadu has increased surveillance in border districts. All travellers arriving in both the states are being tested at the check points revealed sources. Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian told reporters on Monday that there had not been any cases reported thus far in Tamil Nadu.