A special 'Zika containment zone', covering a population of nearly 3 lakh people, is being set up in central Bhopal in a joint operation of the Central and state governments after a case of the virus was confirmed in the city.
The containment zone was being created in Bhopal after confirmation of the Zika virus in a 13-year-old girl and over 20 suspected cases being recorded by the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV). The reports had alarmed the health department of Madhya Pradesh, which swung into action to contain further spread of the Zika virus.
The Zika containment zone, having a radius of 3km, was being created in the periphery of the up-scale Char Imli area of Bhopal as a precautionary measure. Senior bureaucrats and ministers live in the area.
The virus was confirmed in a 13-year-old resident of the Char Imli area. After the Zika case was confirmed, a Central team of the National Centre for Disease Control swung into action and directed the Madhya Pradesh government to take immediate preventive action.
According to health department sources, a team led by Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) director Dr P. Ravindran and Dr Kalpana Baruah, joint director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, met Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary B.P. Singh to plan for an emergency containment initiative.
According to health department sources, nearly 3 lakh people live in the Zika containment zone, which forms part of Central Bhopal, including as many as 20 municipal wards.
The Bhopal unit of AIIMS had diagnosed a patient affected with Zika last month. After the incident was reported, the Madhya Pradesh government took action as Zika spreads through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. This mosquito is also responsible for diseases like Dengue, Chikungunya and Malaria.
Under the Zika containment zone, the Municipal Corporation of Bhopal, health department and Central agencies will jointly work to contain the spread of Aedes mosquitoes in a 3km radius.
During a week-long drive, specialists will conduct a mosquito larvae survey and scan all the residents in the zone. Over 165 teams have been deployed in the area to scan for larvae, and also for people suffering from fever. Pregnant women are especially being checked.
While an alert has been sounded in Central Bhopal, the neighbouring districts of Vidisha and Sehore have also been put on alert.
