Confirmation of Zika virus infection in Maharashtra, India

Eight cases of Zika virus infection have been recorded in India’s western state of Maharashtra, officials said.

According to health officials, six people have been infected with the Zika virus in Pune, while one person each in Ahmednagar and Kolhapur districts.
Officials at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) said they have received 106 samples from across the country and eight people have so far tested positive for Zika virus infection.
As the number of infected people increased, health authorities became worried. However, NIV officials have said that there is cause for alarm over the Zika cases in Maharashtra.
Zika is a mosquito-borne virus. Although the virus is transmitted through mosquito bites, it can also be transmitted through sexual contact. The disease is a mild, self-limiting disease and begins with fever, rash and joint pain.