The Public Health Department today opened a counter to screen passengers, arriving here from various countries, for Zika virus.

M. Murugappa, District Malaria Officer, told The Covai Post that all passengers would be screened on arrival. “If anybody has fever and if they show strange symptoms of the virus, their blood samples will be taken and sent to Chennai for further examination,” he added.

Also, information about Zika is made available at the airport’s help desk. A health inspector and a doctor would be present 24 hours at the screening centre in the airport. They would function under the Deputy Director of Health Services, Coimbatore.

Residential addresses of foreigners who would be staying in the city would be noted down by the officials of the Health Department. India has witnessed several Zika cases over the period.

Zika virus is spread by Aedes mosquitoes.