The Zika virus is transmitted mainly through the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
In a revelation that can have horrifying consequences, DNA has found that many Zika patients are roaming freely in Rajasthan and in the nearby states. A total of 32 people have been officially declared Zika positive after the first case was diagnosed in Jaipur about three weeks ago. The Zika virus is transmitted mainly through the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
During a visit by a high-level central team on Tuesday, state Medical and Health Department officials assured of implementation of systems and processes for containment and quarantine of suspected and infected patients. Veenu Gupta, additional chief secretary of the Medical and Health department said that a micro-plan, involving personnel of different departments, was in motion to contain spread of the disease.
However, DNA has accessed records that reveal that as many as five patients from different districts, including from neighbouring Haryana, are going about their daily lives.
"As per protocol, to avoid further transmission or spread of virus, those infected must be quarantined," says a highly placed medical officer from SMS Medical college.
"Based on experience with viruses such as dengue and chickungunya, which are transmitted by the same mosquito vectors, if quarantine is not possible, the patients must be isolated at home. The most critical of all measures is restriction of movement," he added.
DNA spoke to some of these patients and found they had travelled out to public places at least once since testing positive. A 17-year-old from Nohar village in Hanumangarh and 58-year-old from Jharoli in Bharatpur had travelled to their native places. A 55-year-old woman from Shahpura tested positive on September 25, while she was visiting her brother in Mehron Ka Mohalla, Hasanpura area of Jaipur. She suffered from fever for 10 days, but has been commuting between her native place and brother's home twice a week.
A 19-year-old student, residing at a hostel in Station Road in Jaipur, was feverish for four days. His blood samples were tested during a routine surveillance at SMS Medical College and the results came back positive. He had been regularly attending classes at a coaching centre in Panch Batti area since then. A 23-year-old man from Mahendragarh, Haryana was detected with the virus when he travelled to Jaipur in September. He was tested at SMS Hospital after he suffered from fever, without respite, for four days.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kalicharan Saraf")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}