The Hindu : Front Page : ICMR to form expert group to study chikungunya-type fever

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Monday, Jan 04, 2010
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ICMR to form expert group to study chikungunya-type fever

Shastry V. Mallady

MADURAI: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will study fever cases with chikungunya symptoms reported in various districts of Tamil Nadu.

An expert group will be formed soon to find out the root cause of this fever, which results in joint pains and cripples the victims’ physical activity.

V. M. Katoch, Director General, ICMR, told The Hindu here that he would talk to State public health officials and obtain data on the current trend of fever among people with symptoms of chikungunya.

“There is nothing called mysterious fever. Kerala had a similar spell of fever sometime back. I will personally take steps to properly investigate this ‘chikungunya-type fever’ in Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Maintaining that the suspected chikungunya cases in Tamil Nadu were not brought to his notice, the ICMR chief said he would be meeting the State Director of Public Health and other officials to have an epidemiological assessment.

Earlier, he told reporters that the ICMR is going to create a National Virology Network to monitor the outbreak of viral diseases across the country.

The proposed network would include national institutes, medical college laboratories and good universities. “In two years from now, a strong network will be in place and diseases anywhere can be monitored or treated at the national level,” Dr. Katoch said.

Meanwhile, Director of Public Health S. Elango on Sunday said the chikungunya-type fever had been reported from 11 districts in Tamil Nadu.

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