Chikungunya may have come from Kerala: Director

Mysore, June 13: The outbreak of chikungunya, which has affected a large number of villagers of Pushpagiri and Belavatha villages on the outskirts of the city, might have come from neighbouring Kerala, Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Director Dr M S Rudrappa said today.

Talking to reporters here after visiting the affected villages, he said the state government would set up Drug Distribution Centres (DDC) in the bordering districts of Chamarajanagara and Kodagu to supply medicines to the villagers as precautionary measure. The centre would be opened on every 1000 population.

More than 1000 villagers were affected by chikungunya, he said there were more than 70 suspected cases in the Pushpagiri village. Samples of blood was taken from patients and sent to Victoria hospital at Bangalore for testing. The detailed reports were expected from the hospital in a week, he added.

He announced that eight teams were constituted to look after and surveillance at the affected places in the villages. There was no need to panic and the outbreak was seasonal. No hospitalisation was required and the patients could be treated in their residence itself. Seven days of treatment would be given to them, he added.

Dr Rudrappa said reports were received about suspected chikungunya cases in Sinduvalli village on Mysore-Nanjangud road, with more than 50 people allegedly affected.

UNI