KARACHI: Now an officially notified disease, the vector-borne ailment of chikungunya has recently created a scare when reports of the disease’s outbreak emerged from parts of Malir. An acute lack of awareness of the newly emerged disease and official lethargy might have worsened the health crisis. But, thankfully, the disease is rarely fatal and no loss of life has so far been blamed on it.

Faiza Ilyas spoke to Dr Asif Ali Syed, the provincial technical support officer of the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP), to get an update on the disease and clear some misunderstandings surrounding chikungunya.

The FELTP, supported by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA, is working with the provincial government to strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak response.

Q. What’s the progress of the programme?

A. We have established a mechanism to filter chikungunya cases at major public and private hospitals of Malir; a patient with a 102-degree fever with joint pain is referred from the outpatient department to the chikungunya clinic from where our team members conduct a detailed interview. Earlier, every patient was being considered as a chikungunya case, which created panic in the media and the health department. Houses of suspected patients are also visited for indoor residual spray, larvicidal activities and public awareness.

So far, we have identified 463 suspected cases of chikungunya in Malir. Today, we went to Lyari on reports of 12 suspected cases and found the larva of the vector mosquito in four houses on inspection. Only four cases have been confirmed so far.

A daily reporting mechanism, named chikungunya surveillance system, has also been established in all towns of Karachi.

Q. Any finding on how this disease came to Malir?

A. On the basis of scientific knowledge, we are assuming that some infected person came from India or Bangladesh in this area and infected the non-infected mosquitoes, which later spread the virus to other people through bites.

Q. What are the basic facts about the disease that people should know?

A. This disease has no link with cleanliness problem because its vector, Aedes aegypti, a mosquito, also the vector of dengue, lives in clean water. It’s extremely common in areas lacking piped water systems.

Artificial or natural water containers (water storage cans, flowerpots, discarded tyres, plates under potted plants, vases, buckets, tin cans, clogged gutters, ornamental fountains, drums, water bowls for pets, birdbaths, etc) that are within or close to the places where humans live constitute its habitat.

The species has also been found in underground collections of water such open or unsealed septic tanks, storm drains, wells, and water meters.

Q. What makes chikungunya different from dengue?

A. The disease is marked by a high-grade fever, joint paint, joint swelling and reduced chances of bleeding. This can be explained by the reduction in the white blood cell count in chikungunya and drop in the platelet level in dengue.

Q. What’s the best strategy to tackle chikungunya?

A. Generally, people refuse to believe that the culprit mosquito is thriving in their homes. It’s only when we show them the magnified images of the larva that they start believing us. I think there is a need for a massive public awareness campaign to positively change the way we live.

Mosquitoes that spread chikungunya bite aggressively during the day. One can minimise mosquito exposure by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants. Use insecticide-treated mosquito bed net, repellents or mosquito coils.

Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tyres, buckets, planters, toys, or trash containers.

Put a few drops of mustard oil in your water storage tank that will prevent the growth of mosquitoes in water.

Published in Dawn January 10th, 2017