Tamil Nadu health minister inspects Zika prevention activities on Kerala border

COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu health minister M Subramaniam on Tuesday inspected Zika virus prevention activities at the

Walayar

check post and in villages on the TN-Kerala border.

He said prevention of mosquito breeding, specifically the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, was the only way to prevent Zika virus from entering the state. He said as of now Tamil Nadu did not have a single Zika virus case.

The minister, accompanied by food minister

R Sakkarapani

, health secretary J Radhakrishnan and director of public health Dr T S Selvavinayagam inspected the fever camp at Mavuthampathi village near Madukkarai. They also inspected a few houses in the panchayat to check for mosquito breeding sources as part of stepping up virus prevention measures.

“We are creating awareness among the public that Zika virus is transmitted by the Aaedes Aegypti mosquito, which breeds in stagnating water sources like plastic pots, broken vessels, tyres and thrown away cups,” said the minister.

He checked screening of people and vehicles coming in from Kerala at the Walayar check post. Kerala so far has reported 37 Zika virus cases. He said the state was currently reporting 40-50 dengue cases a month, caused by the same Aedes aegypti mosquito, but they were all recovering well. He said the Zika virus mainly affects pregnant women, causing the fetus to develop microcephaly, or small head.