Zika virus: situation under control, says TN govt

As the first Zika virus case reported in the State, Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday said all preventive measures were being taken by the health authorities.

Allaying fears of the people about the Zika virus disease, health minister Dr C Vijayabaskar said that steps were also being taken to monitor spread of the virus, which
was transmitted by Aedes mosquito.

"The situation is under control. A separate team has been formed to monitor not only in Krishnagiri district but also across the State", he added.

Claiming that the virus will not prove fatal, the minister also said that the 27-year old patient from Krishnagiri district, who was tested positive for Zika virus, has completely recovered.

Health secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan also said that this is the first case of Zika reported in Tamil Nadu. According to him, the case was diagnosed on July 1. The victim
was treated as an outpatient at a government hospital.

Radhakrishnan said that the patient had developed fever, headache, redness of the eyes and weakness before he came to the hospital.  All routine investigations for
dengue, chikungunya and leptospirosis tested negative.

The virus was tested at King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research in Chennai, the health secretary said adding it was also confirmed by two other labs in Pune
and Manipal.