Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi asserts 'No need to panic' after Zika virus assessment in Kanpur

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met with authorities from the Health Department in Kanpur on Wednesday and discussed the Zika virus situation in the city. Speaking to reporters, CM Yogi Adityanath said that Kanpur's district administration, health department, and municipal council, have strategically increased monitoring, sanitization, and investigation.

He noted, "105 positive Zika virus cases detected in Kanpur in the past month;17 recovered. District admin, health dept & municipal council, strategically worked on increasing surveillance, sanitisation & investigation." CM Yogi added, "We've increased the number of health teams. I have taken a review of the situation. There is no need to panic."

Following the meeting, the Chief Minister also paid a visit to a family infected with the virus in the city, according to news agency ANI.

No need to panic: CM Yogi Adityanath

CM Yogi assured that there's absolutely no need to panic about the Zika virus situation. He further emphasized that timely treatment of patients and proper precautions on everyone's part can help curtail virus' impact.

Taking to Twitter, CM Yogi Adityanath wrote in Hindi, "Our surveillance committees are going door-to-door to identify persons with symptoms of Zika virus. Intensifying the surveillance, they are contributing towards sending them to the hospital and also providing medicine kits. All the organizations are doing their work smoothly."

He added, "Very soon Zika virus will be completely controlled in Kanpur. I have reviewed it, work is being done and medical-education department, health minister and other senior officials are also monitoring it." (roughly translated)

Zika Virus in UP

According to the district's Chief Health Official, the total Zika Virus tally in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, reached 105 on Tuesday. The first Zika virus case was announced in Kanpur on 25 October. "The health officials with the district administration formed 100 teams which went to each and every house to collect samples for testing," read an official statement.

Dr Nepal Singh, CHO, stated, "A total of 193 samples were collected by the teams on Tuesday taking the total cumulative to 3,960. Also, the source detection team visited 3,777 houses today taking the cumulative tally to 40,238."  Later, the Centre dispatched a multi-disciplinary team to Kanpur.

Mild fever, rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint discomfort, malaise, or a headache are signs of this disease, which is caused by a virus carried mostly by the Aedes mosquito, which bites during the day.

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: Twitter/@ANINewsUP/Unsplash