Download the all-new Republic app:

Published 22:05 IST, October 9th 2018

Medical emergency in Rajasthan, 29 out of 400 samples test positive for Zika virus in the state

Rajasthan is facing a situation of medical emergency as the state observes the highest positive cases of Zika virus in India

Reported by: Varun Bhansali
Follow: Google News Icon
  • share
null | Image: self
Advertisement

Rajasthan is facing a situation of medical emergency as the state observes the highest positive cases of Zika virus in India. There have been 29 positive cases found in Rajasthan from more than 400 samples.

Even more shocking is that all these cases are of Jaipur and that too of an specific area of Jaipur. The Shastri Nagar area in the capital of the state has all these cases. Administration of state and centre are on alert and more than 170 teams are working to investigate the virus in this 3 kms area of Shastri Nagar.

Advertisement

Principal secretary of health department Veenu Gupta has said that this virus is most dangerous for pregnant women as it can cause worst effect on the child and the child can born abnormal.

Gupta also mentioned that the health department officials are working day and night to control the situation. She added that department has worked on more than 20000 breeding sites of the mosquito from which the virus comes.

Advertisement

Samples of more than 400 people were taken by the health officials, and they were first tested in the laboratory of SMS hospital in Jaipur, after which it went for cross checking to a Pune laboratory. When the results of both the labs matched, then the department decided to do all the further tests in SMS hospital.

Veenu Gupta also said that although the cost of Zika virus investigation is high but as it is happening only in SMS hospital in Jaipur, common people don't have to bear any sort of charges for it.

Advertisement

Zika is not the only problem in Rajasthan medical system, as there were 50 deaths in Rajasthan in past three months due to swine flu.

It is not the first time that questions are being raised on medical system of Rajasthan. There were many such cases in the past also where higher degree of medical negligence had been seen in the state.

Advertisement

READ: 22 Zika Virus Cases Detected In Jaipur, Here's All You Need To Know About The Deadly Diseases

In many cases, pregnant ladies were forced to deliver their babies outside the hospital due to the carelessness of the authorities. In some cases, people had to take the patients on their shoulders as there was lack of ambulances.

22:05 IST, October 9th 2018