Punjab reports max chikungunya cases in 6 years, Mohali worst hit

Karam Prakash

Patiala, November 18

Amid the dengue menace in the state, cases of another vector-borne disease, chikungunya, are soaring. This has put Health Department officials in a quandary as the state has reported the highest number of cases of the disease since 2017.

About the disease

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by the infected Aedes mosquitoes. It is caused by a chikungunya virus (CHIKV) that shares some clinical traits with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed, say experts.

The department data revealed that the state had already reported over 324 cases. Mohali is the worst hit district with 272 cases, followed by Patiala (46).

In 2017, the state had reported 201 cases of chikungunya, while the count was 11 in 2019 and in 2018, it was only 25.

In 2020, the state did not report even a single case of the vector-borne disease. Last year, 144 cases of chikungunya were reported, according to health officials.

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by the infected Aedes mosquitoes. It is caused by a chikungunya virus (CHIKV) that shares some clinical traits with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed, say experts.

Dr Sumeet Singh, District Epidemiologist, said joint pain and joint inflammation were two peculiar symptoms of chikungunya.

Amid the soaring cases, the Health Department has run out of testing kits for the disease. Due to the shortage, testing has come to a halt in many districts. When asked about the shortage, Dr Arshdeep Kaur, Nodal Officer, said, “Some kits have already been dispatched from the National Institute of Virology in Pune. As soon as those kits are received, these will be immediately sent to various districts.”