Chikungunya: 23 areas at higher risk in Dhaka

Residents at 23 neighbhourhoods in Dhaka were at a greater risk of being infected with Chikungunya, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 9 June 2017, 08:15 AM
Updated : 9 July 2017, 08:20 AM

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research or IEDCR gave a list of the locations while presenting a research paper at the Secretariat on Thursday.

Health Minister Mohammed Nasim was present in the event.

‘Aedes Aegypti’ and ‘Aedes Albopictus’ mosquito, the bearers of Chikungunya virus, are prevalent in these areas, says the report. The same mosquitoes bear Dengue and Zika virus.

The areas are Dhanmondi 32, Dhanmondi 9/A, Sector 4 and Sector 9 of Uttara, Maddhya Badda, Gulshan 1, Lalmatia, Pallabi, Moghbazar, Malibagh Chowdhury Para, Rampura, Tejgaon, Banani, Noyatola, Kuril, Pirerbag, Rayerbazar, Shyamoli, Monipuripara, Mohammadpur, Mohakhali, Mirpur-1 and Korail slum.

Chikungunya virus belongs to ‘Togaviridaes’ family.

The symptoms of Dengue and Chikungunya are almost similar but joint pains are more severe in cases of Chikungunya, according to doctors.

“Chikungunya patients can hardly move due to severe body ache and joint pains,” said Dr SM Alamgir of IEDCR.

Other symptoms include muscle ache, chills, rashes and nausea.

He advised people to sleep inside mosquito-nets even during day time. The virus bearing mosquitoes mostly come out in the evening and in the early hours of the day, he added.

Health Minister Mohammed Nasim advised the removal of any container that can store stagnant water in and around houses as they are breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes.

He asked Dhaka city corporation authorities to carry on with their ‘crash programme’ against Aedes mosquitoes and urged Imams (mosque heads) to caution people on cleaning their surroundings.