One of the worst COVID-affected states in India, Kerala has now reported its first case of Zika virus infection on Thursday. These new and re-emerging pathogens with epidemic potential have threatened health security. Just like dengue and malaria, Zika is a kind of virus that spreads from the bite of a mosquito.
Zika, a flavivirus transmitted mainly by mosquitos in the genus Aedes, was discovered in 1947 in Uganda. First identified in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys, Zika was later identified in humans in 1952.
The first large outbreak of disease caused by Zika infection was reported from the Island of Yap in 2007. There are currently several countries experiencing Zika virus outbreaks.
Zika is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite during the day. The same mosquito is responsible for spreading dengue and chikungunya as well.
How Zika virus spread
From the 1960s to 1980s, human infections were found across Africa and Asia, typically…