Cases of mosquito-borne disease Zika are increasing in many states of the country. Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases of this infectious disease. A senior health official of the Maharashtra government's Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) told the media that as of Wednesday (August 7), 88 people have been hospitalized in the state due to Zika virus infection. A total of 73 cases of Zika have been reported in Pune city alone, with eight new patients admitted on Wednesday itself.
Health experts said that the highest number of Zika-affected cases are among pregnant women. An official statement said that 26 pregnant women are also among the infected people, but most of them are in good health. Four Zika-infected people have also died, according to reports, all of them were victims of comorbidity. The age of all four patients was between 68 and 78.
Health experts have alerted all people about the prevention of Zika.
Pregnant women are at higher risk
Health experts said that there is a risk of many types of mosquito-borne diseases during monsoon days, and Zika is also one of them. Infection in pregnant women and children can cause serious diseases. Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the Zika virus can also spread from a pregnant woman to the baby growing in her womb. Infection during pregnancy can cause many types of birth defects.
If it is not treated on time, then the risk of death also increases due to it.
Effect on the health of the fetus
Medical reports show that Zika not only hurts the health of the pregnant woman but it can also be dangerous for the fetus. Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause congenital defects related to the brain or eyes in children. Due to this, the most common cause is the small size of the head of children (microcephaly).
Apart from this, problems like brain development of children, eating problems like difficulty in swallowing, hearing-vision problems, reduced movement of joints, and muscle stiffness can occur.
Identify the symptoms in time
Health experts say that cases of dengue are also increasing along with Zika in many cities including Maharashtra-Pune. Most of the symptoms of these two mosquito-borne diseases are similar, which can confuse people in identifying them.
Most cases of Zika virus are usually seen in children and pregnant women. It is difficult to differentiate them based on symptoms but some things make them different. Zika infection can spread from one person to another, although dengue infection does not spread in this way. It is most important to keep paying serious attention to the symptoms and get timely treatment.
Zika can also spread from one person to another
While diseases like dengue and malaria spread due to the bite of infected mosquitoes, the risk of Zika can also vary from one person to another. To prevent Zika, it is important to take care of safe sex along with protecting yourself from mosquito bites. The virus can stay in semen for a longer time than in the body fluids of an infected person, so it becomes very important to take care of safe sex to prevent infection.
To prevent both Zika and dengue, taking measures to avoid mosquito bites, and using a mosquito net while sleeping is also helpful in keeping you safe from this disease.
(PC: ISTOCK)
