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A new Zika virus case has been reported in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar taking the total cases to 500. A 70-year-old man contracted Zika virus infection following which he was treated in a hospital and discharged, officials said on Thursday.

The Gujarat Health Department stated that the man was infected with the Zika virus four days ago, where he reported cold, fever and joint pain. He was sent home from the hospital a week ago after full recovery.

He was referred to an Ahmedabad-based private hospital, where doctors sent his body fluid samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune over the suspicion that it could be a case of Zika infection, said the release. As a precautionary measure, health authorities visited the area where the person lives and tested people as part of surveillance and tracking exercises, it said. However, no one else had any symptoms of the virus.

Zika virus is transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Zika virus is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. It can also be spread through sex from a person who is infected with the Zika virus to their sexual partner(s). Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant person to their fetus. Infection during pregnancy can cause certain birth defects.

Signs And Symptoms Of Zika Virus

As per health experts, many people infected with the Zika virus may not have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease (Zika) are:

- Fever

- Rash

- Headache

- Joint pain

- Conjunctivitis (red eyes)

- Muscle pain

Zika symptoms usually last for several days to a week.

Can Zika Virus Cause Complications In Pregnancy?

As per CDC, Zika virus infection is generally mild, with hospitalization and death being uncommon. However, when contracted during pregnancy, Zika can lead to serious birth defects and other complications.

In rare instances, Zika infection can cause Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a condition where the immune system attacks nerve cells, resulting in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. While these symptoms can persist for weeks or months, most people recover fully, though some may experience permanent damage. Fatalities due to GBS from Zika are extremely rare.

Zika may occasionally lead to severe neurological conditions, such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain), meningitis (swelling of the tissues surrounding the brain), or myelitis (inflammation of the spinal cord). The virus can also cause a blood disorder characterized by bleeding, bruising, or slow blood clotting. Despite these potential complications, such severe outcomes are rare.

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