An outbreak of Zika is currently being reported in the Maharashtra state of India. Cases were first reported in June and the number is now 25, including 10 pregnant women.
Zika is a viral disease transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Major outbreaks were reported in South America from 2015 and WHO declared a public health emergency in 2016. Low level transmission has been observed since 2018.
The virus has been found to cause foetal damage.
The current outbreak and case reports from Mexico and Costa Rica earlier this year are a reminder that the virus is still circulating, even if at low levels.
Travellers who are pregnant or intending to get pregnant should reconsider their need to travel to areas of concern. Male partners should also be aware of viral persistence in semen. In one study, the virus persisted for an average of 20 days. In some cases, it remained a lot longer.
There is currently no vaccine for Zika, and prevention is mostly focused on mosquito avoidance measures.
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) defines risk from high to low:
- Current outbreak being reported
- Past reports of zika disease
- Low level risk based on altitude (> 2000m)
- Country or location where zika has not been reported
- Country or location with no mosquitoes that transmit Zika
The World Health Organisation has provided a recent update on global Zika.
