Over 1,000 suspected chikungunya cases have been reported at various places in the city in the last one week, Health department officials said on Monday.
Private hospitals in Chinthamani, Melamadai, Vilachery, Karimedu and Ponnagaram had reported cases of suspected chikungunya. Patients complained of fever, head ache and severe joint pain, they said.
Officials of government Rajaji hospital said they were getting 25 suspected cases daily for the past two weeks and most of them were from Madurai.
Directorate of Public Health officials said since people showed symptons of chikungunya with swollen feet, they had collected blood samples of 2,635 persons and sent for testing.
We would know about the extent to which the mosquito that induced fever had spread only after receiving the results, another official said.
Preventive measures, including sprinkling bleaching powder, fogging pesticides and removal of water stagnated in these areas, had been taken, they added.