| Sarawak Intensifies Efforts To Contain Chikungunya |
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KUCHING, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak Health Department has intensified efforts to contain the spread of chikungunya viral fever in the state, Environment and Public Health Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said Tuesday.
Although chikungunya was not a deadly disease, he said, various precautionary steps had been taken to prevent or control the spread of the disease, such as by carrying out active case detection and reducing or eliminating the breeding grounds of the mosquitoes.
"The state Health Department had carried out fogging in all the localities where the chikungunya had been detected and it had been found to be very effective in preventing the spread of the disease," he in reply to Chiew Chiu Sing (DAP-Kidurong) at the state assembly here.
Chikungunya viral fever, which is transmitted to humans by the virus-carrying Aedes mosquito, causes illness with symptoms similar to dengue fever, such as fever, joint pains and rashes.
Wong said 1,042 chikungunya cases were reported in the state this year where Betong has the highest number at 358, followed by Sibu (234), Asajaya (150), Simunjan (85), Bintulu (42), Kuching (38), Seratok (36), Lawas (26), Serian (25), Mukah (23), Sarikei (21), Pakan (two) and Meradong and Mukah one each.
He said the chikungunya virus could be detected or determined through both clinical and laboratory diagnosis.
Results from clinical diagnosis could be known immediately while laboratory diagnosis would take about three days, he said, adding that so far, no vaccine was available to prevent the infection of the disease.
-- BERNAMA
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