Gurgaon: Health dept on alert after two suspected chikungunya cases

Both patients had been kept in observation at Gurgaon civil hospital and were discharged after treatment

Health department officials are in the process of verifying two suspected chikungunya cases after the patients showed symptoms of the mosquito-borne disease.

Officials said pre-monsoon showers in the city left several waterlogged areas open to the threat of mosquito-breeding and a spike in cases of malaria, dengue and chikungunya. (Rahul Grover/ht photo)

Health officials said that both the patients had been kept under observation at the civil hospital and were discharged after treatment.

Officials said pre-monsoon showers in the city left several waterlogged areas open to the threat of mosquito-breeding and a spike in cases of malaria, dengue and chikungunya.

“After the showers that lashed the city last month, there had been a stream of patients to the civil hospital with suspected symptoms of mosquito-borne diseases. Though four malaria cases have been confirmed till date, we have been carrying out a fumigation drive to cut out risks of an outbreak of dengue and chikungunya in the district,” BK Rajora, Chief Medical Officer, Gurgaon, said.

Rajora added that owing to the patient confidentiality clause, details of the suspected chikungunya patients cannot be shared.

Private hospitals in the city, too, have reported a surge in suspected mosquito-borne diseases.

“Since last week, nearly 20% of patients with high fever have been tested for mosquito-borne diseases. Going by the trend over the last few years, such cases tend to peak by mid-July. Considering the trend and the fact that the monsoon is likely to cover North India in a few weeks, we do anticipate a rise in cases of mosquito-borne diseases,” MK Singh, senior consultant, internal medicine, at a city-based private hospital, said.

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Though the city reported over 70 chikungunya cases last year, there were no casualties.

Last month, health department officials had sent samples of six patients with symptoms such as high fever, appetite loss, rash, headache and nausea for for lab tests. They are still awaiting the test reports.