‘Chikangunya’ fever toll reaches 12 in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal - Chikungunya, a relatively rare form of mosquito-transmitted viral fever, has claimed 12 lives in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, and the disease has spread to three more districts.
‘With three more deaths Sunday - two from remote Dunava and one from Multai - the total number of deaths allegedly due to Chikangunya fever in Betul district has reached 12,’ a source in the medical fraternity here said Thursday.
‘The dead include a 10-year-old girl, Preeti, and a senior citizen and freedom fighter, Laxman Singh Parihar. Over a dozen others are in critical condition with no signs of improvement even after regular medical aid,’ the source told IANS requesting anonymity.
‘Chikangunya, affecting over 60,000 odd population, is now spreading to other districts - Chhindwara, Badwani and Burhanpur. However, 70 blood samples have been dispatched to New Delhi-based National Institute of Communicable Diseases and a report is expected next week,’ he added.
The Chikungunya fever, which was first reported a month ago in the state, reportedly entered Madhya Pradesh through villages in Betul district bordering Maharashtra.
Health Minister Ajay Vishnoi admitted that Chhindwara, Badwani and Burhanpur were affected with the fever. However, he said, ‘The situation is under control and even the Maharashtra government has praised my department’s rapid action to tackle the disease.’
‘The number of affected villages had reached 82 in the past one fortnight but now it is decreasing as the health department and district authorities are working round the clock to destroy the larva of this mosquito,’ he added.
On the deaths in Betul, he said: ‘It is yet to be confirmed whether they were due to Chikungunya - symptoms of which are quite similar to other viral fevers.’
A victim of Chikungunya gets fever up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit with a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms, including severe headache, chills, nausea, vomiting and joint pain, said a doctor.
‘A rash and joint pain may accompany the fever. There can also be headache and slight photophobia. Most patients recover within three to 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,’ he added.
The spread of the disease, akin to dengue, first reported in Maharashtra in 1965, is more alarming as it can lead to an outbreak of the deadly dengue fever. Untitled::
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobatwith a 12-day history of fever, chills, and diarrhea. She had states of Maharashtra and Madhya. Pradesh. In most states, the outbreak
http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/13/8/pdfs/vol13no08.pdfHOME |
Children may display neurological symptoms,’ he added.
This is very an interesting development and I would like to know why it is specific to children.
The spread of the disease, akin to dengue, first reported in Maharashtra in 1965, is more alarming as it can lead to an outbreak of the deadly dengue fever.
Can anyone tell me why an outbreak of Chikungunya would lead to an outbreak of deadly dengue fever? Where are they seeing this?
http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=12444
17 Jul 2006
Seven Dead in Maharashtra Due to Suspected Chikungunya
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Seven people have died due to suspected chikungunya in three districts of Akola, Buldhana and Washim in Maharashtra, hospital sources said.
While four patients died in Akot, two and one expired at Telhara and Ghuser respectively, they said. Many others were believed to have been suffering from the disease.
However, the health department has said that the patients were suffering from some viral fever and not chikungunya.
The blood samples of the affected people have been sent to a laboratory in Pune and its report is awaited, health department sources added.
Source:PTI News
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