A 24-year-old pregnant lady has been diagnosed with Zika virus in Kerala, according to State Health Minister Veena George, who announced the news on Thursday. Thiruvananthapuram has 13 more suspected instances of the virus, according to the minister, but the government is waiting for confirmation from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.

The 19 samples sent from Thiruvananthapuram, 13 health workers, including doctors, are suspected to be positive for Zika, the minister added. The Health Department and district officials are concerned about the problem and have made steps to address it by collecting mosquito samples from the Aedes species, which spreads the disease to people through their bite. All of the districts have been notified, and actions have already been taken.

On July 7, a lady from Parassalain in Thiruvananthapuram district, who was diagnosed with Zika virus and is receiving treatment at a private hospital here, gave birth to her kid. She was admitted to the hospital on June 28 with a fever, headache, and red marks on her body. The woman, from Parassalain in Thiruvananthapuram district, was diagnosed with Zika virus.