3000 Chikungunia patients in Andaman islands

Port Blair, Sept 7: Over 3000 confirmed cases of Chikungunia have been reported in Andaman and Nicobar islands while hundreds of other patients are making beeline at local hospitals daily with similar symptoms, Heath Department sources today said.

"So far 1400 Chikungunia patients were treated while nearly another 1600 sick people are still under our observation," Dr N Sadasivan, Director of Andaman's Health Department, told sources here.

He said hundreds of patients have been reporting daily at government hospitals and other health centres with symptoms similar to Chikungunia.

" We have taken urgent steps not only to treat the affected persons but also to generate awareness among the masses about the precaution to be taken," Dr Sadasivan added.

The Andaman and Nicobar Administration with the help of the local health department was busy conducting series of medical camps to treat patients of suburbs areas and spread awareness about precautions to counter Chikungunia, which was mystery disease for islands since now. Severe headache, fever, joint pains, soar throat, chills, nausea and vomiting are its symptoms, Dr Sadasivan told UNI.

''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.

Extensive control measures under the National Vector Borne Disease control programme was launched to control and prevent mosquito breeding.

Fogging spray has been undertaken in all most all the places of the islands.

"We are doing our best and agency like UNICEF is also helping us by distributing mosquito nets to the islanders," the doctor said.

More than 10.000 mosquito repellant tubes were distributed to the people. The panchayat members were also roped in to fight against mosquito menace on a war footing, he added.

Mentioning about the origin of Chikungunya, the hospital soruces said it is a type of Arbovirus 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 in Karnataka in 1973 after which it faded away. Again it struck back there last year, but in Andhra Pradesh this was common till now.

Passengers coming from mainland bring this virus with them and it is transmitted through soar throat and fever.

"We believe that this virus was introduced in these islands by some passengers coming from Vishakhapattanam via Mainland- Island Ship," Dr Sadasivan said.

UNI