Hyderabad: With Zika virus cases being reported in Singapore, Indian Medical Association has asked all those who visited the island nation to wait for eight weeks before trying to conceive, if they were planning to have a child. They have asked these travellers to use condoms for eight weeks so that the women do not get pregnant and the virus is not transmitted from one person to another.
Dr S.S. Agarwal, national president of the Indian Medical Association, said, “This is important because the virus will die within the body as it is self-limiting. Sexual transmission of Zika virus is also possible as such cases have been reported in Hawaii. For this reason Indian travellers to Singapore have been advised to use protection or have no sex at all.”
Symptoms of zika virus are low grade fever, rashes and joint pains. In 80 per cent of the cases the virus dies out on its own. Only in pregnant women the zika infection results in loss of the baby or damage to the brain in the womb or babies born with abnormally small head and brain.
The biggest fear is developing Guillain Barre syndrome in men and women which causes muscle weakness and paralysis and requires months of treatment.
Recent analysis has shown that many patients do not show symptoms and the sickness is usually mild like low-grade fever, red eyes, joint pain and rashes but it lasts for several days.
Dr Rajendra Sharma, senior general physician with IMA Hyderabad, said, “If travellers from Singapore develops a fever with rash, joint pain and red eyes they must visit a doctor. Take paracetamol for fever and body pain. Do not take aspirin or any product containing aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. The person must take lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids.”
