BRASILIA, February 4 (Reuters) - Brazilian health authorities confirmed on Thursday a case of transmission of Zika through a transfusion of blood from a donor who had been infected with the mosquito-borne virus that is spreading rapidly through the Americas.
The health department of Campinas, an industrial city near Sao Paulo, said a hospital patient with gunshot wounds became infected with Zika after multiple blood transfusions in April 2015. Officials said they determined that one of the people whose donated blood was used in the transfusion had been infected with Zika.
The blood center at the University of Campinas said a second person who donated blood in May developed symptoms and tested positive for Zika, though the recipient of the contaminated blood has not developed symptoms of the virus.
Brazil's Health Ministry said the first patient died of his wounds and not from the Zika infection. It said it was reinforcing instructions to blood banks that people infected with Zika or dengue not be permitted to donate blood for 30 days after their full recovery from the active stage of Zika infection.
Transmission of Zika through blood transfusions adds another dimension to the outbreak of the virus. The virus is usually transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. But health officials in Texas reported on Tuesday that a person in Dallas became infected after having sex with another person who had traveled in Venezuela, where the virus is circulating.
Goa taking preventive measures against Zika virus
Panaji, Feb 4 (IANS) The Goa government is taking preventive measures to deal with Zika virus, which has been described by the World Health Organization as a "public health emergency of international concern", Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza said on Thursday.
The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has already started making efforts to create awareness about the disease, D'Souza, who is also the health minister, told reporters here.
"My department has started working on it. It has not come to India as yet. As per my knowledge the virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito which also spreads Chikungunya and dengue," D'Souza said.
The DHS has issued written instructions to all hospitals and health centres run by the state government to step up surveillance in communities in which they are located.
D'Souza said his ministry's instructions are in step with the guidelines issued by the union health ministry.
The rapidly spreading virus has spread to 22 countries, according to the WHO, and is known to affect unborn babies.
"It could start anywhere. One affected person can spread the virus. We have to take our own precaution. We need to develop a vaccine and sensitise our population. We have to get prepared for it. We cannot wait for the virus to strike and then start," D'Souza said.
