THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George has said that another person in the state has been diagnosed with the Zika virus. Zika virus was confirmed for a 40 year old man at the Alappuzha NIV in the samples collected from Nanthancode.

The 17 samples sent in the first phase were confirmed to be negative. One of the 27 samples sent in the second phase was confirmed to have the Zika virus. With this, 15 people in the state have been diagnosed with the Zika virus, the minister said.

The district administration has directed the district labs to report Zika-suspicious cases. There is also a proposal to ensure fever clinics at health centres. The virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Zika virus can seriously affect pregnant women. Therefore, the Department of Health recommends that pregnant women undergo extreme care and screening during the first four months.