Why in news
Three Zika virus cases were detected in Gujarat between November 2016 and February 2017.
The Indian Health Ministry did not publicly disclose these cases immediately.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the outbreak on May 26, 2017.
The Health Ministry had informed the WHO of the cases on May 15, 2017.
This delay indicates a period where the public was not informed of known Zika virus cases.
Selenium in Wheat Case:
In Shegaon taluka, Buldhana district, Maharashtra, over 300 people experienced sudden hair loss.
This was linked to high levels of selenium in wheat distributed through Public Distribution System (PDS) outlets.
The Health Ministry is accused of a similar pattern as in the Zika case:
Reluctance to inform all stakeholders and make findings public.
Claiming there is "no conclusive evidence" linking high selenium levels to hair loss.
Selenium (Se) is a nonmetal element in group 16 of the periodic table.
It has many uses, including in electronics, glass, and rubber.
Properties
Selenium can appear as a brick-red powder, a vitreous black solid, or a metallic-looking gray form.
It's rare in Earth's crust, making up about 90 parts per billion.
It's often found combined with heavy metals like copper, mercury, lead, or silver.
It's toxic by ingestion.
It's closely related chemically and physically to sulfur and tellurium.
Uses
Selenium is used in the electronics industry.
It's used in the glass industry.
It's used in pigments for plastics, paints, enamels, inks, and rubber.
It's used in pharmaceuticals.
It's used as a nutritional feed additive for poultry and livestock.
It's used in pesticide formulations.
It's used in anti dandruff shampoos.
It's used in fungicides.
Radioactive selenium is used in diagnostic medicine.
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