India fully geared-up to tackle Zika outbreak: Nadda

With the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the Zika virus as a global public-health emergency, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Tuesday assured that India is fully geared-up to handle the situation.

Nadda urged people not to panic as effective steps have been taken to prevent its entry and transmission.

"My ministry is fully geared to deal with Zika Virus. There are no cases reported in India. There is no need to panic... I have instructed all concerned to take steps for preventing entry and transmission of virus in India," he said in series of tweets.

Zika is mosquito-borne virus, which is linked to birth defects in America. The UN health agency yesterday convened an emergency meeting of independent experts in Geneva to assess the outbreak of the virus. The meeting was convened after noting a suspicious link between Zika's arrival in Brazil last year and a surge in the number of babies born with abnormally small heads.

Meanwhile, Indian Health authorities have warned pregnant women not to travel to countries affected by Zika virus.

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WHO estimates there could be up to four million cases of Zika in the American continents in the next year, but no recommendations were made to restrict travel or trade.

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The last such public health emergency was declared for the devastating 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which killed more than 11,000 people. A similar declaration was made for polio the year before.