No Zika virus cases in India, confirms minister

The government will also issue detailed guidelines for managing situation arising out of the Zika virus, tackling it and preventive measures.
No Zika virus cases in India, confirms minister
No Zika virus cases in India, confirms minister
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Stating that there is not a single case of Zika virus, suspected of causing serious birth defects, in India, the Centre on Monday said it will come out with guidelines to prevent the disease within the next 48 hours.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda, who chaired a high-level meeting today on the issue, said that detailed discussions were held on the proposed guidelines for the Zika virus and based on the outcome of the emergency meet called by the World Health Organisation (WHO), India will issue the guidelines.

"The guidelines will be for managing situation arising out of the Zika virus, tackling it and preventive measures. Travel advisory will also be issued for the affected countries," a senior official told PTI.

Senior officials of the Health Ministry, including the Union Health secretary B P Sharma, Director General Health Services Jagdish Prasad, officials from Indian Council of Medical Research and National Centre for Disease Control were present during the meeting.

WHO committee called an emergency meeting in Geneva today on the response to the Zika virus and will decide whether to designate the mosquito-borne virus which has been linked to serious birth defects a global emergency.

The Zika virus is "spreading explosively" in the Americas and can infect upto four million people, WHO has warned and also issued a warning to all countries, including India. Aedes Aegypti mosquito carries Zika virus which is suspected to cause brain damage in babies.

This mosquito also carries the viruses that cause dengue and chikungunya which are of great public health concern in tropical countries like India. The outbreak began in Brazil last year and has now spread to 24 countries in the Americas.

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