Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol on Friday urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to establish a specialised task force dedicated to containing the spread of the Zika virus. In a letter addressed to PMC Commissioner Vikram Kumar, Mohol emphasised the necessity of proactive measures to halt the virus' transmission.
Stressing the urgency of the situation, Mohol highlighted the need for swift action, drawing parallels with the measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Given the presence of Zika virus cases within PMC limits, the formation of a dedicated task force becomes imperative to prevent its proliferation and strategise effective measures," Mohol stated in the letter.
This call for action follows the identification of a 64-year-old woman from Yerawada testing positive for Zika earlier this month. Admitted to Jehangir hospital on November 8 due to symptoms like fever and severe joint pain, she was diagnosed with Zika virus infection the next day. This incident marked the first Zika case in Pune this year, adding to the seven reported cases in the state.
In response to this, the PMC promptly sent samples from nine patients to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for confirmation, aiming to rule out Zika virus infection. These patients, from Siddharth Nagar Hospital in Yerawada, reported symptoms such as fever, headache, and joint pain, and their test results are currently pending.
Expressing concern, Mohol emphasised the need for immediate action, urging Kumar to take the matter seriously and implement necessary measures without delay.
