The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : It’s official: chikungunya confirmed

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Thursday, Jun 26, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

It’s official: chikungunya confirmed

Staff Reporter

Seven samples test positive for the viral disease

Schoolchildren being involved in campaign
Precautionary measures being taken

Bangalore: It is official. Seven of the 21 blood samples collected from people complaining of chikungunya symptoms have tested positive for the viral disease. The Public Health Institute (PHI) has confirmed that there is an outbreak of the disease in the city.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) Srirampuram Referral Hospital has been receiving more patients with symptoms of the disease. On Tuesday, the hospital treated more than 20 patients.

Apart from this, six patients have been admitted at the K.C. General Hospital and 15 have been treated as outpatients there.

“We have formed a separate ward for chikungunya cases and kept the patients in isolation so that the disease does not spread to others,” Vishwa Aradhya, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said.

Cleaning drive

BBMP health officials said they have started an intensified cleaning drive in the area. “As the vector that spreads the virus is a fresh water mosquito, people have to be more careful and take all necessary precautions to avoid the bite,” BBMP Chief Health Officer L.T. Gayatri Devi said.

She said all precautionary measures were being taken to contain the disease. “Rapid Response Teams have been formed and our field officials are visiting each house in the affected areas of Srirampuram, Bashyamnagar, Sevashram, Ramchandrapuram, Laxminarayanpuram, Nagappa Block and surrounding areas to educate the residents not to store water in open containers. “The officials will adopt the source reduction approach to eradicate the root cause of the problem. They will check for accumulated water and the presence of larvae in it,” Dr. Gayatri said.

The civic body had involved schoolchildren in creating awareness about the precautions that need to be taken.

Informative pamphlets on the dos and don’ts are being distributed in the areas. That apart, fogging and spraying of pesticides are also being done regularly, she said.

Officials from Bangalore Urban District had a meeting with BBMP health officials on Tuesday. The BBMP has been directed to involve personnel from all its departments to contain the disease, sources said.

M. Madan Gopal, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, told The Hindu that the BBMP had been directed to step up its vigilance and surveillance programmes.

“Though officials from the BBMP’s health department are on the job, Health Commissioner P.N. Srinivasachary has asked the officials to follow a standard treatment protocol to check the spread. We are ready to assist the civic body in terms of medicine supply and deputation of doctors to the affected areas. We want the BBMP to make every effort to contain the disease and ensure that it does not spread to other areas,” Mr. Madan Gopal said.

As of now, the viral infection has been noticed only in Srirampuram and surrounding areas. No cases have been reported at the Government-run Victoria and Lady Curzon and Bowring Hospitals.

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