Health Ministry to begin awareness campaign on dengue, chikungunya

The Health Ministry will start an awareness campaign on dengue and chikungunya in the wake of rising cases of the vector-borne diseases across the country, an official said on Wednesday.

West Bengal has recorded the highest number of dengue deaths in 2016 at 22, while Delhi has witnessed three dengue deaths till now, according to the Health Ministry.

The other states which have witnessed a rise in the number of dengue and chikungunya cases include Karnataka and Kerala.

"The Health Minister held a meeting on the rising cases of dengue and chikungunya on Wednesday in the national capital and other parts of the country. We have decided to take a few initiatives and start a comprehensive Information and Communication campaign to tell people about the prevention," Health Secretary C.K. Mishra told reporters.

When asked why West Bengal was witnessing an increase in deaths related to dengue, Mishra said: "West Bengal has more of Type 3 dengue, while other places like Delhi are witnessing Type 2 dengue."

"AIIMS has also done the testing of West Bengal samples and found it to be Type 3 Dengue," Mishra added.

There are four distinct but closely related serotypes of the virus that cause dengue (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4). Recovery from infection by one provides lifelong immunity against that particular serotype. 

However, cross-immunity to the other serotypes after recovery is only partial and temporary. Subsequent infections by other serotypes increase the risk of developing severe dengue. 

Observing that there was a rise in mosquito breeding in Delhi, Mishra said hospitals have been given time till August 28 to check if any of the places in their premises have mosquito breeding grounds, after which action will be taken if they are found lacking.

A seminar will also be held in the coming week where 68 poster and oral presentations will be given by the states on various ways to tackle vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya.

"We had 198 proposals but out of them only 68 have been selected. If the presentation of any of them is found good then the other states may be asked to implement that," said Mishra.

According to the statistics of the various municipal corporations in Delhi, the national capital has witnessed a total of 20 chikungunya and 311 dengue cases. However, sources from various hospitals place the figure far higher at over 400 for chikungunya and over 600 for dengue.

Chikungunya Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment

Symptoms • Most people infected with chikungunya virus will develop some symptoms. • Symptoms usually begin 3–7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. • The most common symptoms are fever and joint pain. • Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. • Chikungunya disease does not often result in death, but the symptoms can be severe and disabling. • Most patients feel better within a week. In some people, the joint pain may persist for months. • People at risk for more severe disease include newborns infected around the time of birth, older adults (≥65 years), and people with medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease. • Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections. Diagnosis • The symptoms of chikungunya are similar to those of dengue and Zika, diseases spread by the same mosquitoes that transmit chikungunya. • See your healthcare provider if you develop the symptoms described above and have visited an area where chikungunya is found. • If you have recently traveled, tell your healthcare provider when and where you traveled. • Your healthcare provider may order blood tests to look for chikungunya or other similar viruses like dengue and Zika. Treatment • There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat chikungunya virus. • Treat the symptoms: o Get plenty of rest. o Drink fluids to prevent dehydration. o Take medicine such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or paracetamol to reduce fever and pain. o Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of bleeding). o If you are taking medicine for another medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking additional medication. • If you have chikungunya, prevent mosquito bites for the first week of your illness. o During the first week of infection, chikungunya virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to a mosquito through mosquito bites. o An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people

Posted by - Dr. Veena Aggarwal @ eMediNexus