'K'taka taking all measures to arrest spread of Chikungunya'

Bangalore, June 27 (UNI) The Karnataka Government has taken measures on a war footing to arrest the spread of Chikungunya, a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, in the state, Health Minister R Ashok informed the Assembly today.

Making a statement on the issue raised by Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh in the House yesterday, he said the government had in all released Rs 4.5 crore to the districts hit by the viral fever.

Stating that there was no dearth of funds to tackle the situation, he said the Ministry had purchased fogging machines and supplied it to all the districts. Medicines had also been stocked.

The disease was under control in the state now, he added.

Mr Ashok said over 2.26 lakh people in 2,060 villages in the state were affected by Chickungunya since December last.

He said the blood samples of 2,811 blood samples people were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune and of them over 150 had tested positive for the disease.

The government had also taken up programmes at the village level through mass media to create awareness among the people about the disease.

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