Four districts in MP affected by chikungunya: Minister

New Delhi, Oct 11 (UNI) Though only four districts of Madhya Pradesh bordering Maharashtra have been most affected by Chikungunya, registering a total of 46407 cases, the desease has caused widespread fear in the minds of the people due to lack of awareness about its symptoms, state Health Minister Ajay Vishnoi, said today.

"Even in cases where no symptoms of chikungunya have manifested, people are taking it as chikungunya,"he told a press conference here.

Mr Vishnoi said Betul,Chhindwara,Badwani and Burhanpur districts were in the grip of Chikungunya. Of these, Betul, Chhindwara, and Badwani had registered no new cases,but in Burhanpur district two to three new cases were being resgisterd daily,though the situation was under control.

In the remaining 15 out of the 24 districts, no cases had been reported after September, but in Indore, Damoh, Sagar, Dewas, Morena and Sehore districts stray cases of chikungunya had been reported,he said adding the State Government had taken the outbreak of the vector-borne disease seriously setting up control rooms in each district for the purpose. Availability of medicines and spray of insecticides had been ensured.

The Madhya Pradesh Minister, who came here to attend a meeting of Health Ministers of some affected states, convened by Union Health Minister- Anbumam Ramadoss, said he had sought from the Centre establishment of a national virology lab in the State for immediate diagnosis of chikungunya as Madhya Pradesh was a centrally located state and could help other states in the diagnosis of the disease.

There were any two such labs including are at Pune.

Madhya Pradesh, he said, had also sought a Rs five crore package from the Centre to create awareness among the people about the disease.

The Minister had also demanded from the Centre constant supply of insecticides including temofos, pyrethum and 100 fogging machines. Besides he had sought test kits and various life saving equipments to ensure effective control over chikungunya.

Mr Vishnoi said the Centre had agreed to provide only Rs one crore to create awareness about the disease, Rs 25 lakh to buy 50 fogging machines and 10 diagnostic kits among other things.

UNI YS YA RK1916