NEW DELHI: The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry will hold a meeting of the Health Ministers of chikungunya-affected States here on Wednesday and chalk out an action plan to deal with the disease that has crossed the 1.3 million figure across the country and is suspected to have resulted in a large number of deaths, particularly in Kerala.

To be chaired by Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, the Health Ministers of the four southern States, and Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi are expected to participate.

Last week, the Health Ministers of the dengue-affected States had met in the capital to discuss ways and means to check the spread of the disease. The States had then asked for logistical support, including fogging machines, insecticides and medicines. Similar demands are expected to be made this time also to control mosquitoes, which are the vector for both dengue and chikungunya.

Of the 1.3 million chikungunya cases, Karnataka has reported more than 7.6 lakh cases followed by Kerala at more than 43,000. Close to 90 people are suspected to have died of chikungunya in Kerala and seven in Ahmedabad. There are 28 cases of chikungunya in the capital, seven of which are confirmed.

On the dengue front, the toll nationwide has crossed 52 and the number of cases 3,803.

The highest number of deaths has been reported from the national capital at 20, where the number of patients has touched 1,029. In Kerala, four persons have died of dengue and 713 are undergoing treatment. One person has died in Tamil Nadu and 368 have taken ill, 8 have died in Rajasthan where the number of people getting treatment is 328.

In Uttar Pradesh, eight persons have died and 259 are under treatment. Three deaths have been reported from West Bengal, four from Karnataka and three from Gujarat.

The Ministry had last month already issued an advisory to the States that they should screen people at airports, railway stations and bus stands and anyone suffering from fever should be taken to hospitals as part of the preventive measure.

The Government has notified 30 hospitals in the capital where people suffering from fever could go directly for blood tests.

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