Pattaya officials warn residents about outbreak of Chikungunya virus
Health officials in the Bang Lamung area of Pattaya say that many cases of the Chikungunya virus have been reported this year. Most commonly, the infected mosquitoes involved are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, two species which can also transmit other mosquito-borne viruses, including dengue.
From January to the end of October there were 90 cases in Bang Lamung. The virus, usually most prevalent in the south of Thailand, has caused health officials to warn the public in the Pattaya area to take protective measures after an unusually high number of cases were reported on the eastern seaboard.
Key facts about Chikungunya…
- Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint pain. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.
- Joint pain is often debilitating and can vary in duration.
- The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue and zika, and can be misdiagnosed in areas where they are common.
- There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms.
- The proximity of mosquito breeding sites to human habitation is a significant risk factor for chikungunya.
- The disease mostly occurs in Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. However a major outbreak in 2015 affected several countries of the Region of the Americas. (www.who.int)
Chikungunya is sometimes confused with dengue and should be diagnosed separately to manage recovery. Chikungunya is generally not fatal but online it is said about the virus:
“It won’t kill you, but it may make you wish you were dead”.
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
