The Hindu : New Delhi News : Seven chikungunya cases reported in the Capital

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Saturday, Jul 07, 2007
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Seven chikungunya cases reported in the Capital

Staff Reporter

‘This may lead to an outbreak of the disease’

Chikungunya is characterised by high fever, severe joint pain and reddish rash on the body
MCD has deployed breeding-checkers to raise awareness about the mosquito menace

NEW DELHI: Seven chikungunya cases have been reported in the Capital this week. According to the Municipal Health Officer, N. K. Yadav, all the patients were infected during their visits to Kerala.

In a statement here on Friday, Dr. Yadav said there may be more undetectable and sub-clinical cases of chikungunya entering the Capital and this might lead to an outbreak of the disease.

Since there are no specific drugs against the disease, the only fool-proof method is prevention, he added.

A viral disease spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, chikungunya is characterised by high fever, severe joint pain, headache, photophobia and a reddish rash on the body. Treatment is usually symptomatic and supportive. Several cases are being reported from the Southern States.

Following heavy rain in the Capital earlier this week, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has deployed about 3,000 domestic breeding-checkers to raise awareness about the mosquito menace.

Ten domestic breeding-checkers, who will report to the area Municipal Councillor, have been deployed in each ward.

Their duties include detection of sites conducive to mosquito breeding and encouraging residents to take steps to prevent water-logging and stagnation around their houses.

According to the MCD, 14,998 people have been served notices and 1,566 have been fined for allowing such conditions to thrive near their residences.

Group meetings

The Chairman of the MCD Standing Committee, Vijender Gupta, has asked each Councillor to nominate five non-government organisations or Residents’ Welfare Associations who will arrange 10 group meetings with at least 50 household owners in attendance where they will be handed out information regarding prevention of diseases like chikungunya and dengue.

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