More Chikungunya cases reported from Alappuzha

Alappuzha, Sep 19: A viral fever, suspected to be Chikungunya, is spreading to the southern taluks of this district and the western part of neighbouring Kottayam district.

Health officials today confirmed that out of the total 19 deaths reported in Chertala taluk in the past few days, three were due to rat fever.

In the Cherthala Taluk Hospital at least 602 suspected Chikungunya patients were under going treatment.

Around 100 people with suspected Chikungunya fever had been admitted to various hospitals in Ambalappuzha taluk, official sources said.

In Kayamkulam Government Hospital, around 50 patients were admitted with symptoms of the disease, hospital officials said.

According to doctors here, even though the disease was not deadly it can affect the function of internal organs, especially the liver.

The disease would destroy the immunity system and chances of the patient contracting some other disease were quite high, they said.

Dehydration, arthritis, collapse of liver and slow blood circulation were the main causes of death of a Chikungunya patient, they noted.

UNI