Zika Virus Has More Grave Concerns Than Covid-19: Top Expert Warns Of Local Outbreaks

Dr Naresh Gupta, director and professor at Maulana Azad Medical College that detailed lab analysis is extremely important as Zika is something that is occurring in local outbreaks.

(Representative Image/Getty)

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing second wave of Coronavirus and fair chance of a possible third, several cases of mosquito-borne Zika virus have been reported in in Kerala. The state has recorded a total of 28 cases so far with five new infections on Thursday. Adding to the woes, experts believe that Zika is a virus of "grave concern" that the Coronavirus.

While speaking to news agency ANI, Dr Naresh Gupta, director and professor at Maulana Azad Medical College that detailed lab analysis is extremely important as Zika is something that is occurring in local outbreaks.

"Zika is a virus of grave concern. Zika virus is something that is occurring in local outbreaks. So, I think if it's occurring in a given state or place, sentinel surveillance must have picked up these cases," he said.

He also pointed out that Zika virus isn't a pandemic but is of grave concern as compared to Covid-19. "Coronavirus is spread across individual in huge numbers but with a mortality rate of 0.2 per cent. Most of them tend to settle down and the recovery rate in our country is also close to 98 per cent, despite all these big numbers," Gupta said.

"Whenever there is an outbreak, they are usually in big numbers. It isn't a pandemic. However, one must not underestimate such figures. Even in the case of the Coronavirus, there are three thousand varieties that occur in the bats. So, if you look at other viruses, there are thousands of viruses. Most of these viruses will keep coming and going whenever we have fear," he noted.

"This is a known virus. Maybe there is an unknown variant of this virus. We need sentinel surveillance, which means if you know that you have a disease coming up about which we were/are aware of some of the symptoms, that's where detailed lab analysis becomes very important. Then you can identify the different viruses. I am sure that, once they have done the surveillances and picked up these cases with wider testing, they would be able to control it," Gupta added further.

The first case of the Zika virus was reported in Kerala on July 9. A high alert has been flagged in all districts regarding the mosquito-borne virus.

The outbreak of the Zika virus is currently limited to Thiruvananthapuram and not in any other districts so far. In order to contain the spread of the virus to other districts, state government has decided to increase testing. 

It is advised that pregnant women should take test immediately if they have any symptoms of fever or any rashes over the body. Prevention activities are being intensified as the government has already started preparing a micro plan contain the virus.