H5N1

Australia: Not only dengue, but also chikungunya

Via The Global Dispatch.com: Queensland Health battles mosquito borne diseases: first dengue fever, now chikungunya fever. Excerpt:

Queensland Health has been in a battle with the mosquito borne viral disease, dengue fever since November 2012, in which more than 100 people have been stricken with the virus in Cairns.      

Outbreaks of dengue have most recently been reported in Innisfail (April 2), Townsville (April 5) and Ingham (April 19). 

This has prompted Queensland Health to respond to the dengue fever outbreaks in North Queensland through Dengue Action Response Teams (DART). 

They treat or destroy breeding sites, work with residents to control mosquitoes and help curb the spread of the virus and educate the public on prevention. 

In addition to the dengue fever issue, Cairns.com.au is reporting two cases of the mosquito-borne disease chikungunya have been confirmed in Cairns. 

Tests this week revealed two people who recently returned from Papua New Guinea had contracted chikungunya, which includes symptoms such as fever, prolonged joint and muscle pain, headaches, rash and fatigue, the website reports. 

There is currently an outbreak of chikungunya in Papua New Guinea that has affected at least 3000 people. This has prompted authorities to issue a warning to the public and spray for mosquitoes in the neighborhoods where the two patients live.

Philippines: DOH monitors chikungunya in Eastern Visayas

Via the Philippine Information Agency: DOH monitors chikungunya in Eastern Visayas. Excerpt:

The Department of Health in Eastern Visayas continues to conduct intense monitoring of chikungunya as it confirmed cases in two towns of Samar province and one in Southern Leyte. 

Bryant Labastida, DOH regional information officer, said the occurrence of chikungunya, a dengue-like disease, was first monitored last November 2012 in the three towns of the region. 

Chikungunya cases were first noted in Villareal which, to date, has 499 cases since it broke out in November last year. 

The island-town of Daram, in Samar, has 292 chikungunya cases while the town’s poblacion, San Juan, has 17 cases.

Philippines: DOH to curb spread of chikungunya

Via Sun.Star.com.ph: DOH to curb spread of chikungunya disease. Excerpt:

PALO, Leyte -- Seven villages in Villareal, Samar are now affected by the spreading mosquito-borne chikungunya disease, raising the number of victims to 535 last week, the Department of Health (DOH) regional office here reported. 

From 235 afflicted by this rare disease in just two barangays last month, the mosquito-borne disease has downed more residents in new areas, said DOH regional information officer Bryant Labastida. 

Of the 535 cases in Villareal town, 76 were reported in Barangay Miramar, 23 in Mercado, 14 in Mahayag, 13 in Tayud, 31 in Central (town center), 235 in Banquil, and 154 in Guintarcan. 

The disease was first spotted in the remote of villages of Banquil and Guintarcan last December 2012. 

“We believe, the ailment is also present in other municipalities but the number is not that alarming. Outbreak occurred in Villareal probably because of many breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” he added.

Philippines: Samar health authorities face another round of Chikungunya

Via the Philippine Information Agency: Samar health authorities face another round of Chikungunya in other towns, LGUs asked to prepare.Excerpt:

Health authorities in Samar may yet face another round of Chikungunya fever infection in Samar as some 500 Villareal folks have been affected which rendered the victims unproductive for a week. 

Dr. Antonio Tirazona, Department of Health (DOH) Representative in Samar reported this during the first Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Council (PDRRC) meeting, this morning. 

He declared that they have received reports that Chikungunya has threatened the municipalities of Daram, an island town, Jiabong, Gandara and the city of Catbalogan. 

Chikungunya fever is a viral disease transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti). Symptoms appear on average three to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. 

The virus causes high fever and severe joint pain. It can also cause headache, muscle pain and rashes. 

“This is not fatal, but it can make people lose work for a number of days, and depletes the resources of the community affected,” he explained. 

“In Villareal, the LGU ran out of medicines that they asked the help of the provincial government. The Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) is now examining the blood samples taken from the patients in Daram,” he said. 

DOH -Samar has warned the public last week of the Chikungunya virus infection. The doctor said that infected persons should be protected from further mosquito exposure during the first few days of illness so they can not contribute to the transmission cycle.

Philippines: DOH-Samar warns public about Chikungunya fever

Via Samar News.com, a January 23 report: DOH-Samar warns public vs. Chikungunya fever. Excerpt:

CATBALOGAN CITY – The Department of Health-Samar warns public against cases of Chikungunya virus infection. 

The warning was issued in the province of Samar after 28 cases of fever with rashes and joint pains from Barangay Guintarcan were reported by the Municipal Health Officer of Rural Health Unit (RHU) Villareal, Samar in December 10-27, 2012. Ten cases or 36% were confirmed to have Chikungunya infection through IgM ELISA testing by the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM). 

No death was reported. 

Another 235 cases with similar symptoms were reported in Barangay Banquil of the same town which will be investigated further by the local health authorities. 

Chikungunya fever is a viral disease transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes (Aedes Aegypti). Symptoms appear on average three to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The virus causes high fever and severe joint pain that suddenly. It can also cause headache, muscle pain and rash. 

Acute Chikungunya fever typically lasts a few days to a few weeks; some patients have prolonged fatigue lasting several weeks. Chikungunya virus infection (whether clinically apparent or silent) is thought to confer life-long immunity. 

According to Dr. Antonio Tirazona, Chikungunya is not usually fatal. 

Co-circulation of dengue fever in many areas may mean that Chikungunya fever cases are sometimes clinically misdiagnosed as dengue infections, therefore the incidence of Chikungunya fever could be much higher than what has been previously reported, Tirazona added.

Philippines: DOH-Samar warns about Chikungunya virus

Chikungunya seems to be spreading in the Philippines; a similar report appeared yesterday about other communities. Via the Philippine Information Agency: DOH-Samar warns public vs. Chikungunya virus. 

The Department of Health-Samar warns public against cases of Chikungunya virus infection. 

The warning was issued in the province of Samar after 28 cases of fever with rashes and joint pains from Barangay Guintarcan were reported by the Municipal Health Officer of Rural Health Unit (RHU) Villareal, Samar on December 10-27, 2012. Ten cases or 36% were confirmed to have Chikungunya infection through IgM ELISA testing by the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM). 

No death was reported, however. 

Another 235 cases with similar symptoms were reported in Barangay Banquil of the same town which will be investigated further by the local health authorities.

Philippines: DOH 12 confirms mosquito-borne Chikungunya fever in Sarangani

Via the Philippine Information Agency: DOH 12 confirms mosquito-borne Chikungunya fever in Sarangani. Excerpt:

Soccsksargen Region’s Department of Health (DOH-12) has recently confirmed several cases of Chikungunya (also called CHIK) fever in nearby Sarangani province. 

Jenelyn Ellie Ventura, information officer of DOH-12, told Philippine Information Agency 12 this morning that 57 Chikungunya cases have been clinically diagnosed from the coastal towns of Maitum and Kiamba since early January. 

Of these, Ventura said, 35 cases were from Kiamba and 22 from Maitum. 

“Thirteen of the 15 samples sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) have been confirmed positive,” she added. 

According to a fact sheet on the diseases from US’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the chikungunya virus, like dengue, is also transmitted by bites from infected female Aedes mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. 

It shares similar clinical symptoms with dengue such as high fever and severe joint pain that start suddenly. It can also cause headache, muscle pain and rash. 

“Chikungunya does not often result in death, but the symptoms can be disabling, and some people may get severe complications,” it continued. It may be misdiagnosed as dengue fever in areas where dengue is prevalent. 

CDC noted that no specific medication is available to treat the disease, but use of other medicines, except aspirin, may help lower fever and joint pains. There is also no vaccine to prevent it. 

Ventura added that DOH officials have emphasized that similar to dengue, avoiding mosquito bites remains the best prevention from infection by the chikungunya virus.

India: Massive spurt in dengue cases in 2012

Via The Times of India: Massive spurt in dengue cases in 2012. Excerpt:

NEW DELHI: While cases of malaria and chikungunya show a dip across India, dengue cases have started to climb steadily. 

Official records of the Union health ministry reveal that there has been a massive increase of dengue infection in the country this year. 

India had recorded 15,535 cases and 96 deaths in 2009, but the corresponding figure till November, 2012, stood at over 35,000 cases and 216 fatalities. 

Tamil Nadu has recorded the highest number of deaths (60), followed by Maharashtra (59), Karnataka (21), Punjab (15), Kerala (13) and West Bengal (9). In the number of confirmed cases, too, Tamil Nadu leads the pack with 9,249 cases, only next to Bengal (6,067 cases). 

Two other states have breached the 3,000 mark - Kerala (3,674) and Karnataka (3,482). 

Maharashtra, which has recorded the second highest number of deaths, however, reported fewer dengue cases at 1,464. 

Delhi has recorded 1,584 cases and four deaths. 

The number of cases of dengue infection and deaths is higher this year than the previous two years. 

In 2010, India recorded 28,292 cases and 110 deaths, while it recorded 18,860 cases and 169 deaths last year. 

In comparison, malaria cases and deaths have decreased from 15 lakh [1.5 million] cases and 1,144 deaths in 2009 to 7.36 lakh [736,000] cases and 309 fatalities this year. 

In case of chikingunya, cases have decreased from 73,288 cases in 2009 to 14,227 cases in 2012.

India: Sharp rise in dengue cases in the country: govt

Via the Hindustan Times, a PTI report: Sharp rise in dengue cases in the country: govt.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of cases and deaths due to dengue in the country even though there is a decline in the number of reported cases of chikungunya and malaria. 

In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Friday, minister of state for health and family welfare Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury said 216 deaths had taken place due to dengue till November 15 this year, against 169 during 2011 and 110 in 2010. 

Choudhury said the number of reported cases of dengue till November 15 this year has almost doubled to 35,066 against 18,860 cases reported during 2011. 

60 deaths have taken place in Tamil Nadu this year, closely followed by 59 in Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu has also reported the maximum of 9,249 dengue cases, followed by West Bengal with 6,067 cases. 

The minister said that in view of an upsurge of dengue cases, the government has prepared a mid-term plan approved by the Committee of Secretaries covering various aspects for prevention and control of dengue and chikungunya in the country. 

He said that for augmenting the diagnosis, 347 sentinel surveillance facilities have been established in hospitals across states with laboratory support for augmentation of diagnostic facility. 

Besides, he said, steps have also been taken to control malaria after 309 deaths and 7.37 [737,000] lakh cases were reported during the current year till November 2 this year, against 753 deaths and 1.31 lakh cases in 2011.

India: Tamil Nadu sees rise in chikungunya, dengue, encephalitis

Via The Times of India: Welcome to state with a sting. Excerpt:

Dengue is not the only vectorborne disease health officials in Tamil Nadu need to worry about. The state tops the country in chikungunya this year, according to statistics available with the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, the national agency for prevention and control of vector-borne diseases. 

In the past five years, the state has registered a steep increase in deaths due to dengue, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis. While dengue cases in Tamil Nadu increased from 707 in 2007 to 8,482 in 2012 (till November 5), chikungunya cases increased from 45 to 5,018 during the same period. 

In 2007, there were 42 Japanese encephalitis cases; in 2012 (till October) the deaths due to the disease was 53 and the number of cases 800. During this year, one in four dengue deaths and one in three chikungunya cases were reported from Chennai. 

Senior officials of the public health directorate said the increase only meant that the state was much better in diagnosis and reporting. "We actively update our registry and forward it to the Union health ministry," said a senior official, refusing to be quoted. 

But healthcare NGOs like the Public Health Association of India said the incidence of these diseases is indeed on the rise in Tamil Nadu. 

"Despite under-reporting, there is a huge increase in the number of cases. One of the main reasons is the lack of an efficient vector control system," said the association's state wing president Dr S Elango.