During the past week, Delhi saw nearly 1600 additional chikungunya cases, a 43 percent increase over the prior week. The total cases in India’s capital is now at 5,293 cases.
At least 15 fatalities lined to chikungunya have also been reported.
That said, health officials say the worst of the mosquito borne outbreak is over. “New infection is down but recorded cases are up because the confirmatory test for chikungunya is done a week to 10 days after people get symptoms,” said Dr DK Seth, director, hospital administration, north corporation.
Chikungunya in Delhi has also led to the courtroom as Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain has been fined Rs. 25,000 for not submitting names of supposed errant government officials who have not been cooperating in dealing with outbreak of dengue and chikungunya cases in the capital.
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. It can cause high fever, join and muscle pain, and headache. The joint pain may last for months or years and may become a cause of chronic pain and disability.
There is no specific treatment for chikungunya infection, nor any vaccine to prevent it. Pending the development of a new vaccine, the only effective means of prevention is to protect individuals against mosquito bites.
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