Tamil Nadu man tests positive for Zika, recovers completely

Approximately, 200 suspected cases of the virus were tested at King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, Chennai, and this is the first one that has tested positive.

Microcephaly is a rare congenital defect.

A 27-year-old person from Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu has tested positive for the Zika virus, State Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said at a review meeting on Monday. The patient has recovered completely and doing well, he added.

The patient is from N. Puttur, Natrampalayam panchayat, and was treated as an outpatient at a primary health centre.  He had developed fever, headache, redness of the eyes and weakness. All routine investigations for Dengue, Chikungunya and Leptospirosis tested negative. The case was diagnosed on July 1.   

Samples from three other fever cases in the area tested negative.  This is the first case of Zika reported in Tamil Nadu. In May, a few positive cases were reported from Gujarat. Over 40,000 tests for Zika have been done in India so far. 

Zika is a viral disease transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, the one responsible for dengue.

Approximately, 200 suspected cases of the virus were tested at King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, Chennai, and this is the first one that has tested positive.