First Zika virus case reported in U.P

October 25, 2021

First case of Zika Virus was reported from Kanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh on October 24, 2021.

What is Zika Virus?

Zika virus is a member of the Flaviviridae virus family. It is spread by daytime-active called named “Aedes mosquitoes” like A. aegypti and A. albopictus. The name of the virus comes from “Zika Forest of Uganda” where it was first isolated in 1947. Zika virus shares a genus with dengue, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever, and West Nile viruses. The virus is known to present within a narrow equatorial belt from Africa to Asia since 1950s. In between 2007 to 2016, virus spread across the Pacific Ocean to the Americas. Thus, by 2015-2016, Zika virus became epidemic.

Zika fever

Zika fever or Zika virus disease is caused due to Zika virus. It often causes no or some mild symptoms, which are like mild form of dengue fever. The virus can spread from a pregnant woman to her baby, which can result in microcephaly, some birth defects and severe brain malformations.