Kanpur reported 6 more Zika virus cases, taking the positive tally in Uttar Pradesh to 10.
The patients, all civilians, tested positive for Zika virus on Sunday in the Chakeri area of Kanpur, according to a media report.
The affected area houses an Indian Air Force (IAF) station.
Of the 6 patients, 4 are women, including one in an advanced stage of pregnancy, the report said.
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It has been reported that 3 Indian Air Force personnel, including the 57-year-old warrant officer, who first tested positive for the infection on October 23, are being treated at the Air Force Hospital in Kanpur.
On Sunday, the Zika virus was confimed in the KGMU lab, Lucknow in samples of a 20-year-old girl of Kazi Khera Lal Bangla, a 21-year-old girl of Lalkurti Cantonment, a 28-year-old woman from the area and a 44-year-old woman of Poonam Talkies Lal Bangla.
Two men, including a 36-year-old man from Chakeri Road Ompurwa and 53-year-old man from Kalibari Harjinder Nagar Lal Bangla, also tested positive for Zika virus.
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The District Magistrate of Kanpur Nagar, Vishak G Iyer visited Chakeri with a team of health and civic officials on
Sunday.
The report quoted Iyer as saying: “The 8-month pregnant woman, who tested positive has been isolated and is being monitored round-the-clock. More than 400 houses have been turned into containment areas in Chakeri.”
On Sunday, the medical teams collected samples from 612 people, including 283 IAF personnel, 35 pregnant women in their families, 106 pregnant women in civilian pockets of Chakeri and other people displaying symptoms.
These samples have been sent to KGMU lab in Lucknow and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.
The report quoted chief medical officer Dr Nepal Singh as saying: “Anti-larvae spraying is being done in the affected areas of Chakeri. All patients are asymptomatic. Their families have also been advised to remain indoors till lab reports come.”
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne disease that is spread by the Aedes mosquito, the same species that transmits the dengue and chikungunya viruses.
Unlike malaria-carrying mosquitoes, Aedes is found to be most active during the day hours.