Sudden spike in chikanguniya cases in Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) There has been a sudden increasein chikanguniya cases in the national capital, with 188 bloodsamples testing positive for this mosquito-borne disease inthe last one and a half months at the AIIMS itself. Health experts have attributed the rise to a possible"evolution" in the virus that carries this disease and changein weather factors like humidity. "What we have found out is that suddenly number ofchikanguniya cases have increased in Delhi as also in severalother parts of the country. "The disease is caused by the same aedes aegypti mosquitowhich causes dengue but the difference is that dengue virushad four strains while chikanguniya has only one," NationalVector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) Director, A CDhariwal, told reporters here. At a press conference held at the AIIMS on the sidelinesof a workshop on dengue, Dhariwal and other health expertsacknowledged the sudden spike in chikanguniya cases, butappealed to people not to panic. "Number of cases of chikanguniya testing positive in AIIMSlab itself shows the situation, and even in case dengue, Iwould say, people should not panic," the NVBDCP Director said. "From July 1 to August 10, we tested 325 blood samples inour labs, out of which 188 were found positive forchikanguniya," an AIIMS doctor said. Dhariwal says the rise in the cases this year could bebecause of chikanguniya virus showing some evolution comparedto last year and weather conditions proving conducive to itsgrowth. "In this case, what we call the ‘incubation period’, thetime it takes for the virus to develop the disease syndromesafter it enters a patient following a mosquito bite, may havebeen reduced, resulting in spike in cases. In dengue case, onthe other hand, the incubation period is longer compared tochikanguniya," he said. Though hospital have reported large number of chikanguniyacases, the municipal corporation of Delhi has only reported"20 cases" till August 20. North Corporation has reported 2 case, South Corporation13 and East Corporation one while New Delhi Municipal Council4, according to a municipal report released today by the SDMC. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said, "Our mohallaclinics are equipped to tackle chikanguniya and dengue cases.People panic and get themselves admitted in hospitals aftergetting high fever, suspecting dengue. "But, last year, we found many of these patients did nothave dengue. So, we appeal to people to take precautions, keepthemselves hydrated and not panic at all." A typical chikungunya syndromes include high-grade fever,severe joint pain, muscle pain and headache, joint swelling,or rash. But it is not as dangerous as dengue in which thereis a risk of bleeding. "In chikanguniya, the the joint pain is more than indengue cases," AIIMS doctor Ashutosh Biswas said. PTI KNDZMN