India Reports Zika Virus

India has reported cases of the Zika virus, the World Health Organization said, adding that efforts should be made to strengthen surveillance. On May 15, India’s Health Ministry reported three confirmed cases from the western state of Gujarat. Cases were detected during testing in February and November last year, while one was detected in January this year, according to a WHO statement on Friday, Reuters reported. The ministry had in March cited one confirmed case of Zika - from January of this year in Gujarat - while answering a question in the Indian parliament. “These findings suggest low level transmission of Zika virus and new cases may occur in the future,” the WHO said. The virus, which is mainly a mosquito-borne disease, was identified in Brazil in 2015 and has been spreading globally. When it infects a pregnant woman, it can cause a variety of birth defects including microcephaly, where the baby’s head is abnormally small.