Thailand Set To Eradicate Chikungunya In June

[george]

Thailand set to eradicate Chikungunya in June

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health will kick start a campaign next month to eradicate the fast-spreading mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus which re-emerged in the kingdom’s southern border provinces at beginning of this year.

Manit Nopamornbodi, deputy public health minister, said that the campaign to eradicate the virus will begin June 1.

A viral disease transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes during the day, Chikungunya fever has hit Thailand’s Songkla, Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala provinces, which have nearly 20,000 patients.

Those who suffer Chikungunya will have fever, swelling of joints, stiffness, muscular pain, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and rash.

Chikungumya, a name from the Makonde language in Mozambique, first was identified in southeastern Africa. Its symptoms are similar to dengue but it causes fewer fatalities

The deputy public health minister said that as Chikungunya fever is likely to spread to other areas, the ministry has assigned local public health office to map out a plan to prevent an outbreak of the disease, including eradication of mosquito breeding areas.

Mr. Manit said that the plan will be immediately implemented in an attempt to reduce the number of patients as much as possible.

-- TNA 2009-05-21