'Adding Insult to Injury' India Faces Zika Virus Discovery Following Massive COVID-19 Outbreak

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] In India, which is struggling with a massive COVID-19 outbreak, confirmed cases of the Zika virus have also emerged.

According to Indian media such as NDTV and the British BBC News on the 9th, a recent Zika virus infection was reported in Kerala, southern India, prompting an emergency alert across the entire state.

Vina George, Kerala's Minister of Health, stated, "The first infected patient is a 24-year-old pregnant woman who was hospitalized on the 28th of last month with symptoms of fever and headache," adding, "She gave birth on the 7th and her condition is stable."

Additionally, 13 samples suspected of Zika virus infection have been sent to the National Institute of Virology for detailed testing.

The Zika virus, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is known to cause microcephaly and neurological disorders in newborns. There is currently no preventive vaccine.

In India, the virus had spread in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, western Gujarat, and southern Tamil Nadu between 2016 and 2018.

This is the first time a Zika virus infection has been reported in Kerala, and it is not yet confirmed whether related infections have occurred in other parts of India this year.

Meanwhile, India has been suffering from a massive surge in COVID-19 cases over the past few months. In early May, the daily number of new confirmed cases exceeded 410,000.

Recently, the number of new cases has decreased to between 30,000 and 40,000 daily, and the daily death toll, which had exceeded 4,000, has fallen below 1,000.

However, in Kerala, the number of new confirmed cases remains between 13,000 and 15,000, indicating that the spread continues.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.