Dhaka has witnessed a rise in Zika virus cases, with eight individuals testing positive for the virus over the past three months.
Prof Tahmina Shirin, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), confirmed the developments to the media on Wednesday.
This comes after 5 cases were reported last year, all of whom have since recovered and are no longer at risk.
Zika virus was first detected in Bangladesh in 2014.
There is no specific treatment for the virus; instead, care is symptomatic. In many cases, patients show no symptoms at all, making detection more challenging.
In addition to Zika, Dhaka is currently experiencing a surge in Chikungunya cases.
Together with dengue, Zika and Chikungunya are all transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, raising concerns about the spread of these diseases throughout the city.
The IEDCR has advised that individuals infected with Zika rest, stay hydrated, and take medications for fever and pain as prescribed by a doctor.
In the event of worsening symptoms, patients are urged to seek medical attention at the nearest government hospital.
The Zika virus exists in two distinct strains: African and Asian. Recent studies by the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) researchers have confirmed that the strain circulating in Dhaka is of the Asian variety.
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness that was first identified in monkeys in Uganda's Zika Forest in 1947. It was later transmitted to humans in Uganda and Tanzania in 1952. The virus, like dengue and Chikungunya, is spread primarily by Aedes mosquitoes.
Between 1960 and 1980, Zika spread across Africa and Asia, with a significant outbreak occurring in 2007 on Yap Island in Micronesia.
Ongoing research into a 2015 outbreak in Brazil continues, with the World Health Organization declaring Zika a public health threat.
