BANGALORE: Some doctors from the city have appealed to the Government to set up laboratory facilities in the State along the lines of Pune's National Institute of Virology to tackle the rising incidence of chikungunya.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, doctors from Columbia Asia Hospital in the city have urged the Government to facilitate better infrastructure for viral studies in the State.

Pointing out that the clinical appearance of chikungunya and dengue were similar, the chairman of the hospital Nandakumar Jairam and consultant physician Narendra Prasad said that laboratory confirmation of the virus infection was important, especially in areas where dengue was present.

"We have learnt that some patients in several city hospitals are suspected to have been affected with both dengue and chikungunya," Dr. Narendra said.

He said the Pune institute and the facility in Bhopal, where the blood samples had to be sent for testing, were overburdened, and treatment could not be delayed as chikungunya made the affected person physically weak for a fairly long period.

"As treatment for chikungunya is only symptomatic and with no vaccination available, we think prevention is better than cure. Prevention of mosquito bites through repellents, bed nets and cleaning of potential breeding grounds around the house is essential," he said.

Calling upon people not to panic, as the infection was not life threatening, Dr. Jairam said: "As a community care hospital, we have started an education series to create awareness among people about preventive health, especially with relation to chikungunya and dengue epidemics."

Fears allayed

Allaying fears of chikungunya being contagious, Dr. Jariam said the disease was transmitted by mosquito bites and not from person to person. "We have treated over 150 cases of suspected chikungunya in the last three months. We are trying to spread the message of preventive health through our patients and also by distributing leaflets and pamphlets in this regard," he added.

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