Authorities in India’s southern Karnataka state have issued an alert after a five-year-old girl was found to be infected with Zika virus — the first such case in the coastal state.
The child, a resident of Kolicamp in Raichur district, tested positive on December 8.
Zika is transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes that bite mostly during the day, according to the World Health Organisation.
Symptoms include rash, headaches, fever, conjunctivitis and muscle and joint pain, according to the global health body.
The symptoms usually last for two to seven days and there is no specific treatment or vaccine available for the infection.
Authorities in the state formed a three-member central team that visited the area on Tuesday to take stock of the situation and recommend measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
They are also looking at the travel history of the child.
Zika first identified in Ugandan monkeys
Health Minister K Sudhakar said the government was taking all necessary steps to contain the spread of the virus.
“This is the first case in the state and the government is monitoring the situation very carefully. Our department is well-prepared to handle it,” he said.
Mr Sudhakar said three specimens were sent to a lab in western Pune city on December 5 for Dengue and Chikungunya tests. Of the three, the specimen belonging to the girl tested positive for the Zika virus.
The Zika virus was first identified in monkeys in Uganda in 1947.
The first human case was detected in Nigeria in 1954 and there have been further outbreaks in Africa, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.
The virus spread rapidly in Brazil in 2015. India reported its first confirmed cases in western Gujarat in 2016.
It has since reported cases of the virus every year, with at least 89 people, including 17 children, testing positive in a district in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, in November last year
The neighbouring state of Kerala detected at least 15 cases of the virus, including in a pregnant woman, in July 2021.
A man, 67, was found to be infected with the virus in Pune in neighbouring Maharashtra state early this month.
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Racecard
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Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
