Over 5 lakh people suffering from Chikungunya in K'taka

Bangalore, July 26: Notwithstanding the Karnataka Government's claim that Chikungunya has been contained substantially, the dreaded disease has assumed epidemic proportions both in rural and urban areas of the State, with over 5,83,000 people being affected.

According to official sources, over 5,83,246 people were suffering from Chikungunya in 27 districts and Bangalore Rural district topped with 73,073 cases.

The sources said over 4,148 samples have been collected from all the districts and over 200 cases have tested positive for the diseas.

However, no incident of death was reported.

The State government had been making efforts to contain the fast spreading disease by supplying medicines. Besides, the government proposed to supply fogging machines to all the 5,400 village panchayats in the State to contain mosquito, the carrier of the disease.

The government had also convened a conference of Health Ministers of the Southern States on July 30 to chalk out a joint strategy to arrest the spread of the disease. It was also decided to seek financial assistance from the Centre to fight the disease, the sources added.

UNI