Thousands of Keralites Under the Grip of Chikungunya

About 94,000 people in Kerala have been affected by fever in the last one week while about 7,000 patients have been identified with mosquito-borne chikungunya fever, according to the state health department.

"About 7,000 patients have now been identified of having mosquito-borne chikungunya fever and I will not say none has died," Health Minister P.K. Sreemathi told reporters here Friday.

Six fever-related deaths were reported in Pathanamitta Friday.

Reports from Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts indicate that around 40 people have died due to high fever in the last three weeks.

Kerala's central districts like Kottayam and Pathanamthitta were among the worst affected, accounting for nearly half of the affected. However, northern districts like Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargode are said to be the least affected.

"The need of the hour is a joint campaign with the help of all social agencies and we have called a meeting of these organizations on June 11," said Sreemathi.

The government is holding an all-party meeting Saturday where more concrete measures to tackle the disease are expected to be taken.

It has asked private hospitals to open special wards for patients suffering from fever and to submit a list of the number of patients arriving for treatment.

Source: IANS
SRM