Chikungunya outbreak: Bijapur declared high risk zone

Bijapur, Karnataka, July 18: A team of doctors have declared the district as high risk zone following alarming rise in the number of Chikungunya cases reported in the area.

Chikungunya was a relatively rare form of viral fever caused by an alphavirus that was spread by mosquito bites.

The team, which conducted a survey in the district, found that the disease was spread in the district by 'Eygpt mosquito.' Of the 20 colonies it surveyed, several people were found suffering from the disease. As many as 50,000 cases had so far been reported in the district.

In their report, the doctors said the cause for the outbreak of the disease was due to storage of drinking water for more than 15 days.

UNI