The government has reported its first confirmed case of the Zika virus in a 67-year old man from Chittagong.
The infected man, whose blood sample was collected almost two years ago, tested positive.
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Malik made the disclosure at a press briefing at his office in Dhaka yesterday.
He, however, did not disclose the identity of the Zika virus victim.
Soon after the announcement by the junior minister, Chittagong Civil Surgeon Dr Mohammad Azizur Rahman Siddiqui also held a press briefing at his office in the city yesterday.
Dr Siddiqui said: “The Zika virus was found within a blood sample collected in 2014 from the sexagenarian patient. Doctors had collected blood samples from 101 patients infected with the Chikungunya and dengue diseases in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna medical colleges in 2014, and found traces of the Zika virus in one of the blood samples.
“The blood sample was sent to a World Health Organization approved laboratory where it tested positive again,” he added.
“The Zika virus-infected man, who resides in Chittagong, is now well. However, we refrain from disclosing his identity in fear of social stigma about the disease,” he said.
He however said There is no cause for worry about the Zika virus-infected man, as he is no longer a danger.”
“There is no reason to worry or panic, since it is a non-communicable disease, though the infected person does need to be hospitalised. In 80% of the cases, the symptoms of the virus, which was first detected in Uganda in 1947, remain dormant,” he added.
“The available information on the disease states there is no death risk as the major organs of a human being, like the brain, heart, kidney, liver, and veins, are not reported to have been attacked by the virus,” the civil surgeon said.
“Till now there has been no vaccine or medication for the virus. Zika is reported to mainly affect pregnant women causing deficiencies in babies – babies are born with smaller heads,” he added.
“In the wake of discovering the trace of Zika virus, a four-member medical team headed by Dr Ahmed Raihan Sharif, the medical officer of Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, was dispatched to Chittagong to conduct a survey called ‘contract tracking,’” said Dr Siddiqui.
He said: “The medical team stayed in Chittagong from March 14 till March 19 and collected blood samples of the people around the virus-infected person.”
“However, people around the victim, including family members, tested negative for Zika transmission.
