Zika alert for migrants hailing from Rajasthan

  • | Wednesday | 7th November, 2018

Tens of thousands of migrants from Rajasthan visit their hometowns during the Diwali vacation and that many will be visiting the Zika infected regions like Jaipur.The massive movement of people from Gujarat to Rajasthan, according to IARF, during the Diwali vacation is likely to accelerate the current Zika epidemic in India.Zika researcher with IARF, Nitesh Pandey told TOI, “Rajasthan is in the spotlight after the spread of Zika virus. The city has about 4 lakh people from different villages and cities in Rajasthan. Since, Surat has the highest presence of migrants from Marwadi community from Rajasthan, we have issued Zika virus disease infection alert to those travelling to their hometowns this Diwali.”According to Pandey, it is the movement of humans that ensures that constantly new aedes aegypti mosquitoes are infected so that the disease transmission chain continues. However, we have issued precautionary measures to our community members.” We don’t want the people of this city to suffer.

Surat: As the number of Zika virus cases have crossed 150 in Rajasthan, the Mumbai-based Indian Astrobiology Research Centre and IARC Centre for United Nations has issued an alert to the Marwadi community in the Diamond City in particular and Gujarat in general for the possible acceleration of the current Zika epidemic in India.IARC’s Indian Astrobiology Research Foundation (IARF) has issued an alert as per the guidelines issued by the National Centre for disease Control, government of India to take precautionary measures in order to ensure the safety of their families and the city of Surat and Gujarat.Marwadis constitute a sizeable community in Gujarat, particularly in Surat and majority of them are into the textile and ceramic sector. The city has about 4 lakh people from different villages and cities in Rajasthan. Tens of thousands of migrants from Rajasthan visit their hometowns during the Diwali vacation and that many will be visiting the Zika infected regions like Jaipur.The massive movement of people from Gujarat to Rajasthan, according to IARF, during the Diwali vacation is likely to accelerate the current Zika epidemic in India.Zika researcher with IARF, Nitesh Pandey told TOI, “Rajasthan is in the spotlight after the spread of Zika virus. Since, Surat has the highest presence of migrants from Marwadi community from Rajasthan, we have issued Zika virus disease infection alert to those travelling to their hometowns this Diwali.”According to Pandey, it is the movement of humans that ensures that constantly new aedes aegypti mosquitoes are infected so that the disease transmission chain continues. During pregnancy, the virus can cause birth defects in newborn called microcephaly – a condition defined by small heads and brain damage, along with other defects like blindness, deafness, seizures and other congenital defects.President of Khandelwal Samaj, spearheading the Rajasthani community in Surat, Sharad Khandelwal said, “After the alert was issued, we have started contacting our members in the city to take precautions and avoid visiting the infected cities and towns in Rajasthan, specially the pregnant women.”“If suppose someone who returns from Rajasthan is infected, the Zika virus could also spread in the Diamond City rapidly. We don’t want the people of this city to suffer. However, we have issued precautionary measures to our community members.”

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