Chikunguniya cases reported in South Orissa

Berhampur, Feb 27 (UNI) At least 15 cases of chikunguniya were reported in Ganjam, according to Associate Professor of Medicine MKCG Medical College Dr Umakant Mishra.

Prof Mishra said 15 serum samples sent to the lab of the National Institute of Virology in Pune and all were confirmed cases of chikunguniya.

He has urged the state government to provide logistics and technical support to tackle the disease.

Chikunguniya, though not fatal, but restricted the movement of the victims for two to twelve weeks and was rampant in Ganjam and Gajapati district, Dr Mishra said.

In undivided Ganjam district, the number of suspected cases crossed 25,000 within sic months during the last half of 2006, he said adding that focus must be on elimination of all mosquito breeding places by taking of anti-larval measures to check the menace.

This apart, steps must be taken to fogging them off. Out of the total cases of Chikunguniya, nearly 60 to 70 percent were females, Dr Mishra said.

He said since the chikunguniya virus and mosquito menace prevailed in Ganjam and 5 cases of this disease were reported during the last few days, it could be presumed that chikunguniya virus was very much present in the district.

Dr Mishra said that efforts must be made to set up a unit of the National Institute of Virology Pune in Orissa so that speedy screening of blood samples could be undertaken inside the state.

UNI