PESHAWAR:A total of 147 confirmed cases of Chikungunya were reported so far in Swabi district and about 51 patients have been treated, said District Health Officer (DHO) Swabi, Dr. Muhammad Niaz.
Talking to APP here on Thursday, Dr. Niaz said virus has been contained as no new case has been reported for the last couple of weeks. He said the first case of Chikungunya was reported after Eid-ul-Adha and it is expected that the infection carrier came from Karachi for observance of Eid at his home town.
He said the viral disease was earlier reported in Karachi and later cases started appearing in Swabi district after Eidul Adha. Dr. Niaz said the most affected areas in Swabi district were Gandaf and Sher Dara. Both are semi-urban localities and hygienic condition are also very poor in the said areas, he added. About preventive measures, Dr. Niaz said Health Department arranged 17 Medical Camps in the district to create awareness besides providing medicine to the patients. He apprised that chikungunya is also a vector borne disease and is transmitted by same mosquito `Aedes Aegypti’ which causes dengue.
However, he continued the mortality rate in chinkungunya is nil while in dengue mortality is reported in cases of severe infection.Dr. Niaz added that the Health department and Local Government department also conducted Internal Residual Spray in the district for killing of mosquitoes. Furthermore, he continued, fogging is also conducted in infected areas besides sprinkling of larvacide powder. He said biggest precaution from vector borne diseases are keeping the environment clean and destroying breeding sites of mosquitoes which are stagnant water.
He also agreed with the view point that the delay in summer season is prolonging prevalence of viral diseases including chikungunya and dengue. As the weather changes from hot and humid to cold and chill, such diseases will naturally disappear from region, he added.
However, he went on to say, to prevent re-occurrence of such diseases people have to take care of their environment by keeping it clean and by destroying breeding sites of mosquitoes.– APP
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