Beware of chikungunya, too – PHO BY CARLA GOMEZ Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang yesterday urged the public to take precautions against mosquito bites to avoid being hit by dengue and chikungunya. Chikungunya is a viral disease that is also spread by mosquitoes, and has similar symptoms as dengue, he said. He added that there have already been some cases in Negros Occidental. Chikungunya is identified with high grade fever and severe joint pain, but is not as fatal as dengue, he said. He said that, because chikungunya shares some clinical signs with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed. Dengue has bleeding tendencies that makes it deadly, he said. There is no cure for Chikungunya, treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms, he said. The joint pain in chikungunya is often very debilitating, but usually ends within a few days or weeks. Most patients recover fully, but in some cases joint pain may persist for several months, or even years. Tumimbang reiterated the need for cleanliness and removal of breeding places of mosquitoes.*CPG VDS
