Andaman takes precautions against Chikungunya virus

Port Blair, Jun 15: Worried after last year's experience of the Chikungunya menace in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the health department has taken every possible precaution to stop the entry of the deadly virus in the remote archipelago.

''We have posted doctors in all the ports (sea and air) to scan incoming passengers with symptoms of Chikungunya. Our doctors will examine each and every passenger and take preventive steps,'' Director of Health Department of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Dr N Sadasivan told UNI today.

Thousands of tourists from various parts of the country, including worst Chikungunya-hit states, visit these lush green islands every day, making Andaman and Nicobar very much prone to Chikungunya and similar diseases.

''It is not possible to send back passengers having symptoms of Chikungunya from the ports itself, so we have identified some places in Port Blair where we can isolate them, to stop the spread of the viral disease,'' Dr Sadasivan added.

The director added that considering the gravity of the situation, the Health Department had already started distributing free mosquito nets and mosquito repellant creams in the Islands.

It was estimated that last year, more than 10,000 people were afflicted with Chikungunya in these remote islands, virtually paralysing the manpower of government and private institutions.

However, this year, no case of Chikungunya had been reported so far but the Health Department was very alert this time, he assured.

''The disease is caused by the Chikungunya virus, which is classified in the family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus,'' Dr Sadasivan said.

''Humans are thought to be the major source or reservoir of Chikungunya virus for mosquitoes. Therefore, the mosquito usually transmits the disease by biting an infected person and then biting someone else,'' he added.

As infected persons cannot spread the infection directly to other persons, it was not a contagious disease, the director added.

UNI

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