Pune: In response to the Zika virus outbreak in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued crucial directives for pregnant women.

The health department has instructed regional medical officers to send blood and urine samples of as many pregnant women as possible for Zika virus testing at the National Institute of Virology (NIV). So far, samples from 117 pregnant women have been sent for testing.

Zika cases have been reported in various parts of the city. In the outbreak-affected areas, samples from 199 citizens and 167 pregnant women have been sent to the NIV. Since June 21, a total of 21 Zika cases have been recorded in Pune.

These include six cases from Erandwane, four from Mundhwa, two from Dahanukar Colony, three from Pashan, one from Ambegaon Budruk, three from Kharadi, one from Kals, and one from Sukhsagar. Among these, ten are pregnant women.

Given the outbreak, the PMC's health department has decided to test blood and urine samples of pregnant women within a 5-kilometer radius of the affected areas.

Assistant Health Officer Dr. Suryakant Devkar mentioned that the public health department had sent a letter to the PMC regarding this decision.

Deputy Health Chief Dr. Kalpana Balwant added that pregnant women who are unwilling to provide samples must sign a printed form indicating their refusal.

A 42-year-old woman from Karvenagar, working in the insurance department of a private hospital, and a 22-year-old man from Kharadi had tested positive on July 6.

The woman had been experiencing symptoms similar to viral fever for the past week and a half. When she developed a rash along with a fever, her physician sent a sample to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for testing, which came back positive for Zika virus.