7,000 chikungunya cases in 3 months: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, June 8 (UNI) Kerala Health Minister P K Sreemathi today said 7,000 chikungunya cases had been confirmed in the last three months adding the state was facing an alarming situation due to outbreak of viral fever.

She also said a large number of people were affected by dengue and rat fever. There was also one case of malaria.

Addressing a news conference here, the minister said about four lakh patients with viral fever had approached various government hospitals in the state and a large number were approaching different hospitals daily.

However, no deaths were reported due to chickungunya so far, she pointed out adding the government was waiting for results from the Central Medical Team which had taken blood samples from the affected areas.

Since the government had no information about the number of patients admitted in private hospitals, it had issued directions to all hospitals to submit a report to the District Medical Offices everyday.

The Health Minister also said the government was planning to bring in a legislation as per Central guidelines to control private hospitals.

The government was taking the situation very seriously, she said, adding that the government had also sought the Defence Ministry's assistance for cleaning activities, besides help from the other agencies.

The Health Department had opened a 24-hrs control room in the capital for monitoring state-level precautionary measures taken to contain the outbreak of the viral fever.

UNI