Hours after the ministry of external affairs (MEA) confirmed that 13 Indians have tested positive for Zika virus in Singapore, British Medical journal Lancet sounded yet another alarm for India, listi
Hours after the ministry of external affairs (MEA) confirmed that 13 Indians have tested positive for Zika virus in Singapore, British Medical journal Lancet sounded yet another alarm for India, listing it as one of the countries at greater risk of Zika transmission due to combination of high travel volumes from Zika affected areas in the Americas, local presence of mosquitoes capable of transmitting Zika virus, suitable climatic conditions, large populations and limited health resources, according to a new modelling study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
According to the Lancet, many countries across Africa and Asia-Pacific may be vulnerable to Zika virus outbreaks, with India, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Bangladesh expected to be at greatest risk of Zika virus transmission. “An estimated 2.6 billion people live in areas of Africa and Asia-Pacific where the local mosquito species and suitable climatic conditions mean that local Zika virus transmission is theoretically possible. However, there are still many unknowns about the virus and how it spreads, including which local species of mosquito are most capable of transmitting the virus, and whether immunity exists in areas that have previously reported cases of Zika virus. The impact on populations will also depend heavily on the country’s ability to diagnose and respond to a possible outbreak,” says study author Dr Kamran Khan of St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
In this study, the research team established the ecological niche for Zika virus in the Americas (where Zika virus transmission has been reported or where conditions are suitable).
The researchers then gathered data on airline ticket sales from all 689 cities with one or more airports in the region travelling to Africa or Asia-Pacific over a whole year (December 2014 to November 2015).
Researchers found countries with large volumes of travellers arriving from Zika virus-affected areas of the Americas and large populations at risk include India (67,422 travellers arriving per year; 1.2 billion residents in potential Zika transmission areas), China (2,38,415 travellers; 242 million residents), Indonesia (13,865 travellers; 197 million residents), the Philippines (35,635 travellers; 70 million residents), and Thailand (29,241 travellers; 59 million residents).
Of the countries with the largest at risk populations, the authors suggest that India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Bangladesh might be most vulnerable to impact because of their limited per capita health resources.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup today said Indian Embassy in Singapore has reported that 13 Indians have been affected by Zika virus. “As per our Embassy in Singapore, 13 Indian nationals have tested positive for Zika in that country,” he said.
There has been a surge in number of people affected by Zika virus in Singapore, particularly those working in construction sites.
