Context

• Confirmed cases of Zika virus in India are increasing slowly but steadily.
• After cases of Zika were reported in Kerala, Karnataka and Pune, it is now spreading to other areas of Maharashtra as well.

What is Zika Virus?

• Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus that spreads mainly through the bite of Aedes mosquitoes. This virus originated in Africa and has now spread to many parts of the world.

Symptoms:

• Most people have mild or no symptoms of Zika virus.
• When symptoms do appear, they may include fever, rash, joint pain, red eyes, muscle pain, and headache.

Related Disorders:

• Guillain-Barré syndrome: A neurological disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks part of the peripheral nervous system.
• Microcephaly: This has more harmful effects on pregnant women, who run the risk of giving birth to babies with a smaller-than-average head size, called microcephaly.
• Other neurological disorders

Spread of the Zika Virus:

• Through mosquitoes: When an infected mosquito bites a healthy person, the virus enters his body.
• Through sexual intercourse: This virus can also spread from an infected person to a healthy person through sexual intercourse.
• Through blood transfusion: This virus can also spread by transfusion of infected blood.
• From mother to child: If a pregnant woman gets infected with Zika virus, then this virus can also pass to her unborn child.

Initiatives taken by Indian Government:

• Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme
• Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK): It aims to improve the quality of life of children and provide comprehensive care to all children in the community.