Mumbai reports 25 cases of chikungunya

After malaria, Mumbaikars are now facing the onslaught of chikungunya. The maximum number of cases (25) has been reported from Kurla, Dharavi and Goreagon (East).

At a BMC general body meeting, corporators expressed fear that the city is witnessing a fall in the number of malaria cases, but there is a rise in that of chikungunya cases.

Vinod Shekhar, Congress corporator from Colaba, raised the issue in the meeting on Monday.

Anil Diggikar, additional municipal commissioner, said the health department of the BMC had identified three areas in the city — Kurla, Dharavi and Goreagon (east) — from where about 25 cases of chikungunya have been reported.

Chikungunya is a viral disease spread by Aedes Aegipty mosquitoes. The symptoms include severe and persistent joint pain and fever similar to dengue fever.

Joint pains can last a long time and hence full recovery may take months. Currently, the only way to prevent chikungunya is to avoid mosquito bites.