PESHAWAR: An abrupt rise in chikungunya cases has caused worry among the people of Peshawar, while the health department has confirmed the report of several infections in the outskirts of the city.
As per the health department of the province, there are 16 verified cases in the Sufaid Dheri and Badaber areas of provincial capital. The infected are complaining of high-temperature, acute pain in the joints, and extreme tiredness all of them being primary indications of chikungunya.
Mosquito larvae were found in and around a number of homes by health workers while they were monitoring the infected areas. The larvae were eliminated immediately to prevent the virus from spreading to new areas.
According to the health workers, chikungunya is a viral illness that infects humans through the bite of a mosquito and Aedes is the primary species among them, which also transmits dengue fever, that is very common in the medical profession.The appearance of symptoms usually takes three to seven days after a mosquito bite; usually these are similar to those of dengue, and hence, timely testing and diagnosis become very essential.
The government has advised the people to do all that is in their power to prevent the disease from spreading, such as draining away stagnant water, keeping the place clean, and applying mosquito repellents. Also, the public is urged to go see a doctor immediately if they have symptoms like fever, joint pain or the like.
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The authorities pointed out that the prevention at an early stage and the support from the local community are the main factors to stop the chikungunya disease from spreading in the areas affected.
