Chikungunya: More in India

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEK20060701023652&Page=K&Title=Southern+News+-+Karnataka&Topic=0
Govt releases Rs 2 lakh to check chikungunya in dist
Saturday July 1 2006 12:58 IST
<SMALL>DHARWAD: The zilla panchayat, Dharwad, has formed five teams of specialised doctors to check the spread of the viral disease, chikungunya in the district and an amount of Rs 5 lakh as grant was sought from the State Government in this connection.

Disclosing this at a press conference here on Friday, ZP president Geeta Patil said chikungunya was by and large under control in the district and the government had released Rs 2 lakh out of a proposal for Rs 5 lakh sent to it, seeking financial assistance to check the disease.

Medicines needed to cure the affected, were available at all government health centres and complaints with regard to non-availability of medicines would be attended immediately, she added.

On the measures taken to check further spread of the disease, she said brochures giving information about the same, had been distributed among the general public, awareness programmes were organised at the village level and assistance of anganwadi workers was being taken to serve the said purpose.

Every gram panchayat and taluk panchayat had been asked to contribute Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000, respectively, to taluk health officers who were authorised to monitor awareness programmes and free distribution of medicines, she added.</SMALL>

 

[Snowy Owl]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

...brochures....

Lets be serious here, once you care about people you will not adress them with Hindi Brocures, but in Local languages Brochures.

From an Owl that has travelled a lot in and trough India.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

Disclosing this at a press conference here on Friday, ZP president Geeta Patil said chikungunya was by and large under control in the district and the government had released Rs 2 lakh out of a proposal for Rs 5 lakh sent to it, seeking financial assistance to check the disease.


​

By and large this statement is a load of bull. The situation is not under control.

Medicines needed to cure the affected, were available at all government health centres and complaints with regard to non-availability of medicines would be attended immediately, she added.


​

Just in case you were wondering, there is NO cure for chikungunya.

On the measures taken to check further spread of the disease, she said brochures giving information about the same, had been distributed among the general public, awareness programmes were organised at the village level and assistance of anganwadi workers was being taken to serve the said purpose.


​

Well, at least the people can use the brochures to kill the mosquitos.

Chikungunya started in India in December 2005/January 2006. Here we are in July and the reports continue to roll in about how Chikungunya continues to appear all over India. So this means 6 months have passed and the virus continues to rage.

From the way things look to me right now, I cannot see Chikungunya leaving India any time soon. The epidemic declined in La Reunion because the virus basically ran out of people to infect. La Reunion had 775,000 people and it took roughly 3 months for the virus to run through the those that it could infect.

So La Reunion had 775,000 people and the epidemic went for mostly 3 months and infected 233,000+ people, roughly 1/3.

India has over 1 billion people and the epidemic has gone on for 6 months and infected ?????? people.

Personally I think we are over 20 million now and I wouldn't be suprised if this virus infects over 100 million by the end of the year, but 300 million also wouldn't suprise me either.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/02/stories/2006070217480300.htm
Fever scare in Jawaharnagar
Staff Reporter
<TABLE width="100%" bgColor=#d0f0ff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Chikungunya forces residents to send children to other areas </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<HR color=lightblue noShade>On an average 3,000 tons of garbage is dumped here round the clock
It is estimated that within two years, the 340-acre dumping yard will be filled


HYDERABAD: The scare of being infected with chikungunya fever is making people residing in and around Jawaharnagar on the outskirts of the city live on tenterhooks. The intensity of the fear is such that to safeguard their children from being infected, residents are sending them to other localities.

Garbage, tonnes of it, dumped daily at the dumping ground at Jawaharnagar is making the place a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies. Despite the fact that the dumping yard is away from residential colonies, the stink emanating from the place envelops over a radius of more than one kilometre.

Precautions

Taking all precautions from the infectious conditions, residents are taking the preventive chikungunya medicines available in the market.

"Though none has been affected with chikungunya here, some are suffering from fever and cough. To safeguard my son, I have sent him to his uncle's house in Tarnaka," says P. Manjunath, a shopkeeper at Demmaiguda on the way to the dumping yard.

But the inevitable garbage dumping continues to make matters worse, bad roads leading to the dump yard from Balajinagar and Chennapur aggravate the situation. Even the municipal authorities are worried over the intensity of garbage dumping.

"On an average 3,000 tons of garbage is dumped round the clock here from the entire twin cities, Secunderabad Cantonment and the three municipalities of Kapra, Malkajgiri and Alwal.
Within two years, the 340-acre dumping yard will be filled. We are taking all precautions against infections by covering the garbage with mud and debris to a height of three metres," says assistant engineer of the yard, Bhavani Prasad.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1698680,curpg-1.cms

HYDERABAD: Tired of crocins and combiflams, people are approaching ayurvedic practioners for providing relief to chikungunya-related joint pains.

Without an antidote or any specific cure, people are trying out various kashayams (concoctions) of ayurveda.

Ayurvedic medicines like Amrutharista, Thribhuvanakeethi Ras, Mahasudarshana Churna and Amruthotharam Kashayam are being prescribed for joint pains.

"Of the 75 cases of chikungunya I received in the past one-and-a-half months, around 50 of them had tried out allopathic treatment.

As they have found no respite from the severe joint pains, they are turning to ayurvedic medicines too," said Dr T Venu Gopal Rao, an ayurvedic physician.

With ayurvedic medicines, the joint pains last for much lesser time than they do in the case of allopathic medicines, claim ayurvedic specialists.

Classical ayurvedic literature such as Charaka Samhita, Sushrutha Samhita and Ashtanga Sangraha make a mention of a fever, 'Vatapitta Jwara', whose symptoms are similar to that of chikungunya and physicians are using these medicines, Venu Gopal Rao added.

While the fever subsides in a few days, it is the debilitating joint pains that are forcing patients to try out ayurvedic concoctions. All eyes now turn to ayurvedic treatment, which did not have many takers till a few months ago.

Doctors are receiving more patients off late. "There used to be three-four cases a day till a month ago, but in the past week it has shot up to ten," said Dr Viswanathan of Kottakkal Ayurvedashala in Erragadda.

The number of suspected chikungunya cases in the state reached 52,000

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1698666.cms

VISAKHAPATNAM: A senior official of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has been removed from his post following criticism that the corporation failed to contain the mosquito menace and chikungunya fever.

Urban community development project director Satyasai Sreenivas, who was also the special officer, public health, was asked to hand over responsibility to additional commissioner D Muralidhar Reddy.

The order was passed late on Saturday night and it was said to be on the direction from the chief minister's office.

It may be recalled that a large number of viral fever cases had been reported from MVP and Lawsons Bay colonies in the corporation area.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/39284.php/Doctors_suspended_for_not_visiting_chikungunya-hit_areas
Bhopal, July 3 (IANS) Seven doctors in Madhya Pradesh have been suspended after they failed to report for duty in a district affected by chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral fever that has claimed two lives in the state so far, officials said Monday.

Ten doctors had been asked to report for duty in Betul district from Bhopal and nearby areas last week to check the spread of the disease. However, only three reported at their respective places of posting.

Over 30,000 people in 120 villages in Betul are afflicted with chikungunya, health officials said.

The disease, which has been reported in Madhya Pradesh for the first time, reportedly spread from villages in Betul district bordering Maharashtra, officials said.

The spread of the disease, akin to dengue, was first reported in Maharashtra in 1965.

'A victim of chikungunya gets fever, which can reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit. After an incubation period of three-12 days, there is a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms, including severe headache, chills, nausea, vomiting and joint pain,' said S.C. Tiwari, Hamidia Hospital superintendent.

'A rash may occur sometimes and arthritis affects multiple joints, which can be debilitating. Most patients recover within three-five days. Some can suffer from joint pain for months. The joints of the extremities in particular become swollen and painful to touch. Children may display neurological symptoms,' Tiwari said.

Health Director Yogiraj Sharma said they were leaving no stone unturned in tackling the disease.

'The situation is being regularly monitored and every step is being taken to curb the disease. Required medicines are being supplied in ample quantity. Arrangements for spraying insecticide to kill the mosquitoes is also being administered in all the affected areas,' state Health Minister Ajay Vishnoi told IANS. The doctors had been suspended on the directives of Vishnoi.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/05/stories/2006070513480500.htm

Bangalore: The Government, along with the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP), has initiated emergency measures to contain the spread of chikungunya, Minister for Health and Family Welfare R. Ashok said here on Tuesday.

The Minister held a meeting with Health Department officials, members of the Legislative Assembly and members of the BMP Council to review steps to tackle the situation.

For hospitals, PHCs

He released posters designed to create awareness about chikungunya. These will be put up at hospitals and primary health centres.

Mr. Ashok told The Hindu that the BMP Commissioner had ordered the purchase of 100 additional fogging machines to prevent the breeding of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads chikungunya.

Directive

He said he had asked Health Department officials to visit government hospitals and health clinics to find out whether they had adequate stocks of medicines.

If there was shortage, medicines would be supplied immediately. Action would be taken against officials who failed to implement measures to protect the people against chikungunya, he added.

"I have asked the department as well as MLAs and corporators to spread awareness about chikungunya among the public. College students are being made aware of the disease and its symptoms so that people are not misled," Mr. Ashok said.
BMP Commissioner K. Jairaj, Bangalore Mayor Mumtaz Begum, MLAs and corporators were present.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>http://www.centralchronicle.com/20060706/0607282.htm

Chikungunya menace:Health alertness must

</TD></TR><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Many villages of Madhya Pradesh, adjoining the Maharashtra border, are in the grip of deadly chikungunya ailment. The fever is said to be contagious and has assumed epidemic form in three districts. According to the health minister of the state, more than 28,000 people have been affected by the disease. The minister has also admitted four people succumbing to the disease. However, he also says that the news has not been confirmed. It's not the question whether chikungunya has spread or not or what are the reasons for its spread. For a vast country like India, spread of seasonal diseases, epidemics is normal. However, the matter of concern is the events that have taken place after the spread of the disease. Acting swiftly the health ministry issued necessary directives, formed health teams, made arrangements for medicines to fight the disease. However, as usual the directives were not implemented. The health minister Ajay Vishnoi however has admitted the laxity on the part of the concerning staff. He has admitted that seven doctors out of the ten deputed to reach the affected regions did not report there. They have been suspended by the minister. This is not the first case of its kind neither will it be the last one. In the cities also, the doctors presence in the government hospitals is only for namesake. It is said their whole attention is towards private practice. In rural areas the situation is far worse. They get postings at primary health centres of their choice and are more concerned about `their' patients. If the health minister wants to reform the system, then he would have to take many harsh steps. With the onset of monsoons, more diseases are likely and the administration has to gear up to tackle the situation[/FONT]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEK20060706031030&Page=K&Title=Southern+News+-+Karnataka&Topic=0

CPI, AITUC to observe bandh
Thursday July 6 2006 13:32 IST
<SMALL>DAVANAGERE: The CPI and AITUC will jointly observe Davanagere bandh on July 7 demanding reservation in higher education for backward classes and minorities and also to reduce price of fuels and essential commodities, said CPI leader H K Ramachandrappa here on Tuesday.

Bandh will be observed from 8 am to 3 pm, he said. Prices of essential commodities have soared.

Instead of controlling prices of commodities the partners of UPA government are trying to save their government.

Chikungunya has become an uncontrollable disease in the district.

Both district administration and City Municipality are failed to contain the spread of this disease completely, he said.

Absence of drainage, dustbins, public toilets in city and negligence in clearing garbage, filth by City Municipality have increased mosquito menace.

To end this, each municipal ward should be equipped with fogging machines and cleanliness has to be given top priority.

Other demands include:

1 Continuation of Lokayukta Justice Venkatachala;

2. English should be taught from I standard in all schools;

3. Amendment to APMC act should be dropped;

4. Law University at Davanagere be started;

5. Drop wearing of helmets.

For the success of bandh auto drivers, lorry owners, APMC merchants, cinema theaters and public should co-operate, appealed Avaragere Chandru, general secretary of district Pro Reservation Agitation Committee.</SMALL>

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEK20060706031300&Page=K&Title=Southern+News+-+Karnataka&Topic=0
ZP seeks grant to control chikungunya
Thursday July 6 2006 13:34 IST
<SMALL>CHIKMAGALUR: The Zilla Panchayat has sent a proposal to the State Government seeking Rs 50 lakhs as special grant to purchase the necessary medicines for controlling Chikungunya disease.

ZP president K R Dhruvakumar said about 80-100 patients were taking treatment in Yagati hospital and many others were being treated on the corridor of the hospital. He said doctors require medicine worth Rs 10 lakhs for the next 15 days to treat the patients of this region.

The Government has already released Rs 3 lakhs to the district to purchase necessary medicine. He said as medicine was not available in Shimoga he had taken permission from the health department chief secretary to purchase it in the local market.

Doctors have been deputed to Kadur taluk and officials were instructed.</SMALL>

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=8222

Chikungunya fever is rampant in the district of Anantapur.Over 10,000 people are suffering from this viral disease and almost all the government hospitals and private dispensaries are flooded with the fever victims.

The district was hit with the disease some four months ago which had again resurfaced now. The prevalence of the disease is causing concern among the people.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/08/stories/2006070814760100.htm
Drainage works to begin soon

Staff Reporter

<HR color=lightblue noShade>Underground drainage project to cost Rs. 18.8 crore
Sewage treatment plant to be set up in Vettambadi
About 59,000 people will benefit from the project <HR color=lightblue noShade>
NAMAKKAL: Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board will begin the Under Ground Drainage (UGD) works for the Namakkal Municipality shortly, Collector G. Sundaramurthi said.


Addressing a press conference here on Friday, the Collector said tenders for the project were being processed and the work would begin in the town shortly. The project would be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs. 18.8 crore.

A sewage treatment plant would be set up in 32-acre land identified in Vettambadi. About 59,000 people in the town would benefit from the project, he said.

Mr. Sundaramurthi further said the district administration had brought Chikungunya outbreak under control with the help of intense preventive measures.

He said the Chikungunya was first reported in the Senthamangalam special panchayat and later it spread to several parts in the district. Following intense preventive measures, the report of fresh Chikungunya cases in the district had come down over the last three weeks. Over 600 new cases were reported in a day in the first and second weeks of June. The number of fresh cases had started to come down in the third week of June. On July 6 only 126 new Chikungunya cases were reported in the entire district, the Collector said.
About 76 medical camps were conducted so far to treat people affected by chikungunya. Co-ordination committee meetings were held and officials of all departments were asked to co-operate with the health department to undertake preventive measures. The health officials had sprayed mosquito repellents and undertaken anti-larval exercises. The district administration had also involved school children and volunteers of various organisations in emptying water stored in containers like coconut shells, unused tyres and various types of plastic containers, which served as breeding ground for mosquitoes. The officials also educated people about the disease. Officials also asked private tanker water suppliers to chlorinate water before distributing it. Mr. Sundaramurthi also said he was visiting villages in all blocks in the district and listening to the grievances of the people personally.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

He said the Chikungunya was first reported in the Senthamangalam special panchayat and later it spread to several parts in the district. Following intense preventive measures, the report of fresh Chikungunya cases in the district had come down over the last three weeks. Over 600 new cases were reported in a day in the first and second weeks of June. The number of fresh cases had started to come down in the third week of June. On July 6 only 126 new Chikungunya cases were reported in the entire district, the Collector said.
​

This would amount to 8,400 cases of Chikungunya within the first two weeks in June in this one district in Tamil Nadu. Somehow I think that is still low as most people tend to go private hospitals in India or in the case of Chikungunya they wouldn't go to the hospital at all because they know that the hospital would have no remedy for what ails them.

Mr. Sundaramurthi also said he was visiting villages in all blocks in the district and listening to the grievances of the people personally.
​

When the politicians start making the disease a political issue you know it is bad.

So today we have news of the number of infections going down in one district in Tamil Nadu and at the same time we get news from Andrha Pradesh of cases going back up after an initial outbreak 4 months ago.

I could be wrong, but it looks like Chikungunya is moving in waves.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

"Chikungunya on the decline in Tamil Nadu"

Ramya Kannan
<TABLE width="100%" bgColor=#d0f0ff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Officials attribute this to intensive anti-mosquito, anti-larval drive </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



<HR color=lightblue noShade>Number of cases of Chikungunya have dropped to 300-400 in worst affected districts
Ordinary fevers being reported as Chikungunya
Chikungunya does not cause death


Senior citizens may require IV fluids support <HR color=lightblue noShade>


<CENTER>

GROWING AWARENESS: Doctors examining a patient suffering from suspected Chikungunya. ? File photo </CENTER>


CHENNAI: Even as the fear of Chikungunya spreads, the Health Department has said the epidemic is `on the decline'.
"Chikungunya is definitely on the decline in Tamil Nadu," Health Secretary V.K. Subburaj said. A month ago, about 1000-5000 cases were reported from the `epidemic districts' of Vellore, Tirupattur and Namakkal. The cases now dropped to 300-400, say public health officials. They attribute this to the intensive anti-mosquito, anti-larval drive that was taken up on a war-footing since the first few cases were reported. The deployment of rapid response teams in every block too brought down the number of cases, Health Department officials said.
They said the outbreaks were local and localised, with only a smattering of suspected cases being reported from the other parts of the State. So far, a total of 42,000 cases of Chikungunya had been confirmed in Tamil Nadu, of which 1000 were in Chennai.
However, with the awareness among the people growing, even common viral fevers are being reported as `Chikungunya.' While most of the diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical symptoms, the DPH sends select blood samples from an area where an outbreak is suspected to have occurred to the National Institute of Virology, Pune. "Even if one sample in the area has tested positive, it is assumed that the outbreak has occurred," a public health official said.
In the private sector, doctors do not send blood samples for confirmation, and diagnosis is made only on the basis of clinical symptoms. "Therefore, a number of other fevers occurring along with body pain are wrongly diagnosed as `Chikungunya'," officials said.
The government protocol is to treat a patient with paracetamol and dichlorphenal sodium (for joint pains), while in the private sector it is being reported that some doctors even recommend antibiotics. According to specialists, antibiotics are unnecessary and will have no effect on someone suffering from `Chikungunya.' It is also believed that elderly persons with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or heart ailments die after a bout of `Chikungunya.' However, epidemiologists say it is "not possible" for the virus to cause death. It has been proved that the virus causes only encephalitis (brain fever) in rare cases, and this has not been observed in the case of `Chikungunya.' However, they recommend that senior citizens who come down with fever be treated with IV fluids, as is being done in government hospitals.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

Sometimes I wonder how much of article I should believe.

This latest article is an example of why.

However, epidemiologists say it is "not possible" for the virus to cause death.

​

This claim is blatently false. You could even go so far as to say it is a lie. Here are some reports to the contrary (I could give dozens but for the sake of brevity here are the latest)

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7793
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8084

Therefore, since the article goes on to make false statements can we really believe statements such as:

"Chikungunya is definitely on the decline in Tamil Nadu,"

The deployment of rapid response teams in every block too brought down the number of cases, Health Department officials said.

​

I doubt it.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5922_1752300,0015002100000001.htm
MORE THAN hundred patients of malaria and viral fever have been reported from Bahubali Colony of Sagar. The residents fear that they are afflicted by chikungunya disease.

Epidemic like situation had created panic in the Bahubali Colony, the area that had remained inundated during recent heavy showers.

On July 18, heavy rains lashed the city inundating the low-lying areas. Several houses were submerged in the floodwater.

Large numbers of people have reported symptoms like head and body ache.

Many of them have been admitted in the government and private hospital. One of the residents of Bahubali Colony Pramod Jain has been admitted in the district hospital, while another resident Shanti Bai is undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

Local people said that red rashes are also visible on the bodies of affected persons. One of the patients Pradeep Jain, who is having red rashes on his body, informed that there are several people in the area who are having red rashes, which is the first symptom of chikungunya.

CMO Dr. Godre, however, claimed that not a single case of chikungunya had been reported from the district. But he conceded that the cases of malaria had increased.

He also informed that he had instructed the Malaria Department to visit the area and spray pesticide and DDT in the affected area.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=aheadline>http://www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/search/mmsearch.asp?query=&sectid=2&articleid=7302006233535317302006233256593&pubyear=2006&pubday=31&pubmth=7
16-year-old suspected to have Chikungunya
</TD></TR><TR><TD>Monday, July 31, 2006 | City</TD></TR><TR><TD class=adrophead>
Saddam Hussein Sheikh might have contracted the disease after attending a family funeral of two children, one of whom had died of lepto, while the other died of an unknown disease </TD></TR><TR><TD class=abyline>
Yogesh Sadhwani</TD></TR><TR><TD class=abody>
Doctors suspect that 16-year-old Saddam Hussein Sheikh contracted Chikungunya after attending the funeral of two children, one of whom had succumbed to leptospirosis, while the other died of an unknown disease.

Abdul Wahid Sheikh, the boy?s father, said that after attending the July 22 funeral of Bano Sheikh, 17, who died of fever, and Nadim Sheikh, 7, who died of lepto, Saddam fell sick. When his condition deteriorated after three days, they brought him to Shraddha Hospital in Ambernath (West).

For the last six days Saddam has been at Shraddha Hospital suffering from severe body ache, headache, a fever that refuses to subside and rashes. Since his admission in the hospital there has been little or no change in Saddam?s condition and doctors at the hospital said he is displaying all the symptoms of Chikungunya.

?We will keep him under observation for the next two weeks. Meanwhile, we are also trying to figure out if there is a lab in Mumbai that can provide us with tests for Chikungunya,? said Dr R Singh of Shraddha Hospital.

The health administration in Ambernath, for their part, have said they are unsure as to the cause of Saddam?s illness. ?We have sent his blood samples to National Institute of Virology (NIV)in Pune and are awaiting the report. The boy is admitted in a private hospital and civic doctors have been monitoring his condition,? said Sudhir Raut, chief officer of Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC).

Raut said that ideally Saddam should be shifted to a government hospital for better diagnosis and care. ?We have been urging the boy?s parents to shift him to government-run Central Hospital in Ulhasnagar, but they refuse to do so claiming they have faith in the private hospital. In a situation like this we cannot do much but monitor his condition,? adds Raut.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.bellevision.com/newshead.asp?nhid=3547
500 docs, 2,300 para-medics to be recruited
Mangalore: Chikungunya has spread its tentacles across the State and 7.5 lakh suspected cases are being reported, informed Principal Secretary of Department of Health and Family Welfare Usha Ganeshan.

Briefing media persons in the city on Tuesday, she said that every fever is mistaken for Chikungunya in Karnataka due to its similarities with flu.

Admitting the delay in detecting the disease, she said that blood samples of the patients should be sent for laboratory in Pune for testing. But suspected case are being treated on the basis of manifestations and traits of the disease, she added and said that 17 cases of Chikungunya fever have been confirmed in the district and most of them are working as construction labourers. Blood samples have been sent to Pune laboratory and results of which are awaited, she revealed.

Malaria

As many as 4,600 cases of Malaria has been reported, the PF variety of which can be fatal. Mangalore is among the 8 cities that are receiving assistance from the State for anti-Malaria campaign. ?Source reduction,? should be carried out by clearing stagnant water which is the breeding ground of mosquitoes. Since construction workers who have migrated from other places to the city are vulnerable for the disease, Mangalore Corporation authorities have been told to ensure sanitary conditions around construction sites, she stated.

Barring Malaria and Kyasanoor Forest Disease there is no other major health risk in the region. Dakshina Kannada district serves a good example for public-private initiative in health services, she hailed.

Appointment

Department of Finance has given approval to fill up vacant posts in Health Department. Process of recruiting 500 doctors and 2,300 para-medical personnel will be completed within three months. For the effective implementation of Health programmes in rural areas 900 junior health assistants are required of which 550 posts will be filled immediately, she informed.

?As many as 30 candidates from Dakshina Kannada district have qualified junior health assistant exams held recently and will be offered placement in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts,? she revealed.

Earlier, attending meeting of Taluk Health Officers in the city, she instructed the civic bodies of Dakshina Kannada district to take precautionary measures to combat malaria.

Building bylaws should be strictly enforced to facilitate free flow of water in the drains to avoid breeding of mosquitoes.

Municipalities and Corporations have a great role to play in Malaria eradication.

Public campaign and awareness programmes on Malaria should be conducted on regular basis, she suggested.

Earlier in the day, Ms Usha Ganeshan also visited Subrahmanya Primary health Centre and Lady Goshan and Wenlock Hospitals in the city.

District Health Officer Dr Jagannath was present.

 

[Jeremy]

Re: Chikungunya: More in India

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEA20060802030834&Page=A&Title=Southern+News+-+Andhra+Pradesh&Topic=0
Chikungunya rampant in temple town
Wednesday August 2 2006 13:30 IST
<SMALL>BHADRACHALAM: Chikungunya was fast spreading in Bhadrachalam division. A large number of people in eight mandals of the division were suffering from the disease. Fifty cases of chickungunya were reported at a private hospital near bus stand on a single day shows the intensity of the disease in the temple town. However the Government Area hospital medical officers said that these are viral fevers.

District additional DM&HO Y Babji said 57,000 blood samples were collected in 29 mandals. The blood samples of 29 persons were sent for analysis. He said medical camps would be organised to prevent the spread of the disease.

Meanwhile, people affected with the disease are getting treatment at Government area hospital and ten other private hospitals in the town.</SMALL>