Chikungunya Outbreak In Indang, Cavite
Mosquito-bite related health condition, Chikungunya outbreak has been declared in Indang, Cavite, as reported by DZBB Super Radyo, on October 1, 2016.
In the report, it has been said that there are more than 400 cases of Chikungunya that have been recorded in Cavite since January, which most of the cases happened in Indang.
Department of Health Spokesperson Eric Tayag, previous reports have said that the type of mosquito that carries Chikungunya, Zika virus, and dengue appears to be the same type – aedes aegypti.
Tayag clarified that the Chikungunya won’t take the life of humans, unlike dengue.
“Hindi po (nakamamatay ang chikungunya), mas matakot po tayo sa dengue,” said Tayag as quoted in a report by GMA News.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) chikungunya is a condition that is being transmitted by infected mosquitoes.
Once bitten and infected, like dengue, an individual might experience fever and severe joint pain, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue, headache, and rash.
The WHO said that there is no cure for the said health condition and that the treatment is just focused on relieving the symptoms.
Symptoms of chikungunya are commonly misdiagnosed with dengue, as the outbreak commonly happens during the dengue season as well.
Chikungunya outbreaks have occurred in different parts of the country since 2013, like Antique, Bataan, and Iloilo.
Meanwhile, zika virus is another mosquito-related health problem that’s being monitored by the Department of Health (DOH) as the number of reported cases have already reached to 12, mostly in Visayas area, particularly in Iloilo.
In Cebu, there is a confirmed case of Zika virus to a pregnant woman.
Like the prevention done for dengue, it would be almost the same with chikungunya and Zika: the eradicating the breeding grounds of this type of mosquito, the aedes aegypti.
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