No information about chikungunya deaths: Karunanidhi

Tirunelveli, Oct 5 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said the government had no information about fatalities due to Chikungunya disease in the state.

Talking to newspersons before launching his campaign for the local body elections here, he said ''there is no information so far that anyone has died of Chikungunya disease.'' Asked about reports that the disease had claimed 71 lives in neighbouring Kerala and it had a similar effect in Tamil Nadu, Mr Karunanidhi said it cannot be said that the death of some people in the recent past for some other reasons could not be attributed to Chikungunya.

He said the government was willing to enquire through the district collectors, if anyone could give details of people who died of the disease. ''The government is even willing to provide them compensation,'' Mr Karunanidhi added.

On reports that the state government after passing an order, was yet to release funds for the Sidha Medical College here to buy medicines to tackle the dreaded disease, the Chief Minister promised to look into the issue.

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