This new crippling mosquito-borne disease, chikungunya has affected about 50 000 people on France's Indian Ocean island of Reunion.
This disease has no cure. Though not fatal this extremely painful disease results in a stooped posture.The prevalence of the disease has been recorded as 45 000 new cases since mid-December.
Philippe Renault, a specialist with a regional epidemiologal cell is keeping track of the prevalence of this disease.
Chikungunya is Swahili means that which bends up and refers to the stooped posture of the patients.
It is characterized by high fever and severe rashes, and severely reduces one’s immunity level that other opportunistic infections attack the patient.
France fears that this disease would spread to Madagascar, a French overseas department with a population of 760 000 and hence has posted 400 extra troops to help fight the mosquitoes that have been spreading the disease.
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