The Hindu
Mangalore, May 23: Deputy Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao has said that over 4,000 people are said to be suffering from Chikungunya in the district.
Addressing health workers and administrative officers at a review meeting here on Thursday he said: “More than 2,100 cases have been confirmed. The number of Chikungunya cases is estimated at more than 4,000..”
The district administration believed that the disease had spread to Sullia, Puttur, Belthangady and Bantwal Taluks. No case had been reported from Mangalore Taluk.
Mr. Rao, who conducted a ground survey on Wednesday, found that areas under the Panja and Kadaba primary health centres (PHCs) in Sullia Taluk were worst affected. Of the 2,100 cases reported, 1,300 are from Sullia taluk alone.
Alternative system
Homoeopathic and Ayurvedic system of medicine was providing succour to the patients suffering from chikungunya, who complain of severe body and joint pains. Teams of doctors and students from Father Muller’s Homoeopathic College, K.V.J Ayurvedic College, Karnataka Ayurvedic College had been striving to treat patients in Sullia and Puttur taluks.
Many private hospitals have bolstered the efforts of the district Health Department.
Some of the medicos, however, complained about the shortage of medicines at the PHCs. Stating that there was no shortage of medicines or equipment, Mr. Rao said that it could be logistical problem.
Mr. Rao said that an early monsoon could cut the breeding cycle of the Aedes Aegypti, a mosquito species, that carries the Chikungunya virus. “Continuous and heavy rainfall will wash away the larvae and eggs,” said Mr. Rao, quoting from a report presented to him by a team of entomologists in the district.
The district administration was in the process of fixing a “Dry day” to launch a drive to encourage people empty the water logged at various places, starting from gram panchayat level. This was aimed at cutting the mosquito breeding cycle, Mr. Rao said. In addition, the health workers have been instructed to undertake fogging.