Andaman registers suspected cases of Chikungunya

Port Blair, Aug 3 (UNI) People in Andaman and Nicobar islands are panic stricken as a disease unknown to them has recently struck the islands rendering many with ailments similar to the flu, but with severe joint ache.

''There is no reason to panic as it is a viral disease known as chikungunya and is not fatal,'' said Andaman's Director of Health Services Dr N Sadasivan.

''A medical team has been constituted which will visit all the affected areas to educate people on the preventive measures to contain the spread of the disease. They will provide medicines to the affected on the spot,'' the Director added.

Dr Sasdasivan told UNI that severe headache, fever, joint pains, soar throat, chills, nausea and vomiting are its symptoms.

''One diagnostic feature of the disease is joint pain in shoulders, knee, elbow and ankle joint with swollen up look with severe pain,'' he added.

Till now more than 1000 suspected cases of Chikungunya have been treated in Andaman and Nicobar Islands by team of doctors who are visiting in every part of these islands.

Dr Sadasivan informed that blood samples have been sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune, the result of which is expected soon.

''Until the report reaches, the chikungunya cases cannot be confirmed in these islands,'' he mentioned.

Few cases with joint pain have been received from areas like Dairy Farm, Haddo, Prem Nagar and Fishermen Colony at Junglighat and were treated as normal viral fever.

Mentioning about the origin of Chikungunya, the DHS said it is a type of arbo-virus disease caused by the bite of infected culicine mosquitoes (aedes aegypti / day biter) reported long back in Tanzania in Africa.

In India, a massive outbreak was reported Karnataka in 1973 after which it faded away. Again it was reported in Karnataka last year, but in Andhra Pradesh this is common till now.

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