In a follow-up on the chikungunya outbreak in Pakistan, the Sindh Health Department has reported 627 suspected cases of the mosquito borne disease in Karachi since May 1, according to a Pakistan Today report Saturday.
This brings the total case count in the city to 2722 since the beginning of the year.
Of the cases this month, more than half have been reported from Malir district (343) and a third have been reported from District West (188).
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.
Chikungunya does not often result in death, but 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.
Related:
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- Pakistan chickenpox update: Two additional deaths reported in Faisalabad
- Pakistan: More than 22,000 leishmaniasis cases reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2014
- Pakistan: 1st Naegleria fowleri death of 2017 reported in Karachi
