CHIKUNGUNYA: INDIA (KARNATAKA) from ProMED

More than 500 suspected chikungunya cases were detected in the district [of Mangalore, Karnataka state].
Statistics available at the District Health and Family Welfare Department (DHFWD) warn of an 'uncontrollable outbreak of the disease in the district', if not checked at the earliest.
As per data available with the DHFWD, around 530 suspected chikungunya cases were reported from Sullia and Puttur taluks. [A taluk is an administrative and fiscal unit that has jurisdiction over villages and municipalities. - Mod.TY] It was found through door-to-door survey and surveillance records that around 1787 people were suffering from high fever in Sullia and Puttur taluks.
The absence of a clinical diagnosis process in the district to confirm chikungunya as early as possible has the administration sitting astride the horns of a dilemma.
DHFWD officer Dr H Jagannath told this website's newspaper that the department could not confirm chikungunya as there was no laboratory facility in the district to diagnose the disease. He said that the government had promised 100 rapid chikungunya test kits before Wednesday [16 Apr 2008].
"INR 4.5 lakh [450 000 rupees equivalent to USD 11 261] had been sanctioned under the vector borne disease control programme for the district," he said, adding that necessary steps would be taken to check the spread of disease.
Dr Jagannath said that 2 nodal officers were appointed for Sullia and Puttur taluks. The department has also deputed 3 doctors to the taluks, he said and 3 mobile medical teams with ambulances were also sent to the taluks.
Jagannath said that a joint survey by the entomology experts and the joint director of the Malaria and Filaria Cell was conducted on 13-15 Apr [2008]; a total of 12 drug distribution centres were functioning in the 2 taluks.
Precautionary measures including fogging, spraying, and awareness programmes were started in the taluks for the effective prevention of the spread of chikungunya, but proper diagnosis is still a necessary 1st step that can no longer be delayed.
[Byline: Vinobha KT]
<http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEK20080416003334>