Chikungunya fear grips Capital

[Shiloh]

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Chikungunya_fear_grips_Capital/articleshow/3464891.cms

Chikungunya fear grips Capital
10 Sep 2008, 0301 hrs IST, Kounteya Sinha,TNN

NEW DELHI: Delhi, which is already reeling under a dengue crisis with 142 positive cases, now faces a high risk of seeing an outbreak of chikungunya.

Compared to last year's 59,535 positive chikungunya cases, the country till August 2008 has already recorded over 70,000 cases. Karnataka is the worst affected with over 45,000 positive cases. A viral disease, chikungunya is generally not fatal, but has no known treatment. It is characterised by high fever lasting between seven and 10 days, painful joints, headache, vomiting, fatigue and nausea and is spread by the same vector as dengue Aedes aegypti. Scientists fear that Delhiites returning from states like Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra may bring the virus into the Capital.

The warning was also sounded by director-general of health services Dr R K Srivastava when he reviewed the state of vector borne diseases in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh on September 2.

Last year, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported 203 positive chikungunya cases in Delhi. What's worrying officials more is that Haryana has already reported 20 positive cases. In fact, sources told TOI that some patients with fever in Gurgaon are showing chikungunya-like symptoms. A NICD source said, "We are yet to confirm whether chikungunya has hit Gurgaon or not."

A health ministry official said, "The only way to combat chikungunya is the same as fighting dengue - reducing the presence of the vector. And because the vector has already caused dengue outbreak in Delhi, it's just a matter of time before chikungunya too enters the city with a bang."

Interestingly, those who get infected with chikungunya once, get life long immunity against it. That's why this time, Karnataka has a bigger outbreak compared to Kerala which saw larger cases in 2007.

There are no vaccines and it has to be tackled with paracetamol and fluids. As it is caused by a day-biting mosquito, hence, mosquito nets are also no precaution. "People should not let water accumulate in their flower pots, coolers or AC chambers," officials added.

Persons who have visited any area where chikungunya virus transmission occurs and who develop high fever along with joint pain within 12 days after their return, should see a doctor, a source said.

kounteya.sinha@timesgroup.com

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Chikungunya fear grips Capital

Six chikungunya cases in city

21 Oct 2008,

NEW DELHI: After dengue, Delhi is now staring at an "explosive outbreak'' of another vector borne disease - chikungunya.

The viral disease - characterized by high fever lasting between seven and 10 days, painful joints, headache, vomiting, fatigue and nausea - has till now infected six people in Delhi.

While three samples from Lodhi Road and Kidwai Nagar confirmed positive in September, three other samples collected by National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) from Uttam Nagar and Mahavir Vihar were found to contain the virus on October 13.

Interestingly, scientists tracking the history of the patients found that none of them had visited chikungunya endemic states like Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra recently.

This confirms fears that an indigenous virus is already in circulation in the city. As India has been hit by the African strain of the virus with high transmissibility, scientists from NICD and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme fear that it's just a matter of time before the number of chikungunya cases in the Capital starts to swell.

"Chikungunya has no known treatment. So the only fool-proof method to combat the disease is prevention. Vector breeding has to be eliminated,'' an NICD official told TOI.

"Also, the strain in circulation infects humans at a faster pace, thus capable of causing really large outbreaks. Those bitten by an infected mosquito will show symptoms within two days to a week,'' the official added.

There are no vaccines available against chikungunya and it has to be tackled with paracetamol and fluids. As it is caused by a day-biting mosquito, mosquito nets are also no precaution.

People, therefore, have to be more alert. They should not let water accumulate in their flower pots, coolers or AC chambers, which are ideal breeding grounds for the dangerous mosquitoes.

"Chikungunya virus infection is thought to confer life-long immunity. That's why north Indians and those living in northeastern states are most vulnerable. They lack herd immunity because the virus hasn't infected many people in these regions earlier,'' an expert said.

In 2006, Delhi had 560 suspected chikungunya cases and 67 confirmed cases. In 2007, Delhi reported 2,003 suspected samples of which 22 were confirmed chikungunya cases.

Across all states till October 2007, there were 38,000 chikungunya cases. In comparison, till October this year, the country recorded nearly 71,000 cases.

Chikungunya is spread by the same vector as dengue aedes aegypti, which is already creating havoc in Delhi.

The disease, which is generally not fatal, has affected people across 11 states this year with Karnataka (46,000) recording the highest number of cases followed by Kerala (24,600), Maharashtra (440), Gujarat (172), Goa (18), Tamil Nadu (15), Delhi (6), Andhra Pradesh (5) and Rajasthan (3).

Chikungunya came to India after 32 years in 2006. India recently also exported the chikungunya virus to Italy.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Six_chikungunya_cases_in_city/articleshow/3620548.cms