Kerala - Kochi   

Forty more cases of chikungunya reported

Staff Reporter

Majority of cases in Vadakkekara

KOCHI: With 40 cases of suspected chikungunya reported here on Thursday, the number of cases reported since July has gone up to 818 in Ernakulam district.

A majority of the cases reported from Ernakulam district were mostly in Vadakkekara. Of the 40 cases, 30 were in the outpatient while 10 were put into in-patient services. Meanwhile, the health authorities have denied that the death of a woman in Malyankara was as a result of chikungunya. The field staff have informed the district health authorities that she had died of old age.

The district health authorities have submitted a report on the suspected chikungunya cases to the officials from the World Health Organisation visiting Chertala, where about 70-odd people have reportedly died of chikungunya, a vector-borne viral disease.

According to District Medical Officer K.T. Remani, the officials would visit Vadakkekara if they have time. The report includes the status of the fever cases and the vector study undertaken in the area.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss would be arriving here on Friday to get a first-hand information of the epidemic. He will arrive at Nedumbassery from Chennai in the morning and would head straight for Cherthala.

It was not clear on Thrusday whether Mr. Ramdoss would take stock of the epidemic's spread in Ernakulam district.

The campaign of the health authorities focuses on source reduction by targeting the mosquito larvae breeding in fresh rainwater collected in unused cans, buckets, tyres and tubes or coconut shells. Since the mosquito does not travel a long distance, source reduction would not be a difficult exercise, according to health officials.

The result of test on the blood samples collected from patients in Vadakkekara over a month ago is still awaited.

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