45 chikungunya cases, highest in four years

Karam Prakash

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Patiala, November 12

Amid rising dengue cases, the district is witnessing a rise in cases of another vector-borne disease, chikungunya. This season, the district has reported the highest number of chikungunya cases in the past four years.

Aedes mosquito

Aedes mosquito present in the environment is responsible for the spread of both chikungunya and dengue. An infected person travelling from some other district or state might have carried the virus to Patiala and the virus is further being spread by the mosquitoes here. — Dr Sumeet Singh, District Epidemiologist

Patiala district reported 17 fresh cases of chikungunya on Saturday, taking the total count to 45. Of the 45 cases, four were reported from the rural areas and the rest from the city alone.

Dr Sumeet Singh, District Epidemiologist, said, “Aedes mosquito present in the environment is responsible for the spread of both chikungunya and dengue. An infected person travelling from some other district or state might have carried the virus to Patiala and the virus is further being spread by the mosquitoes here.”

A doctor at Mata Kaushalya Government Hospital said every patient testing negative after suffering from dengue must be tested for chikungunya too.

Dengue and chikungunya both have similar symptoms such as fever, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, eye pain, nausea, vomiting and body rash.

The district epidemiologist said, “We have already tested over 200 suspected people for chikungunya.”