Pune registers 80-90 per cent of total chikungunya cases in state, again

According to the data available with the Pune municipal corporation's (PMC) health department, in the last seven days alone, a total of 12 cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in the city.

With the monsoon crossing the halfway mark, cases of chikungunya, along with rising cases of dengue, too have seen a significant increase with around 80- 90 per cent of the total cases registered in the state being reported from Pune.

Apart from chikungunya, dengue cases have also been rising sharply in the city with 92 cases of suspected dengue registered with PMC’s health department in August so far, out of which seven have been confirmed with dengue. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Officials from the health department have stated that Pune is the district which has reported maximum chikungunya cases in the last two years.

According to the data available with the Pune municipal corporation's (PMC) health department, in the last seven days alone, a total of 12 cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in the city.

Speaking about the issue, Pradip Awate, state surveillance officer, said, “Across the state, a total number of 281 chikungunya cases have been reported so far since January, out of which, 53 have been reported from rural Pune, while 73 were reported from urban areas of Pune.” He added that apart from Pune, the other districts which have reported 30 to 40 cases are Sangli and Nashik.

According to the statistics given by state health department, in 2016, Pune recorded 2,459 cases of chikungunya followed by 951 in 2017. PMC officials said that, from January 1 to August 6 this year, a total of 85 cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in Pune city.

Officials from the PMC health department said that understanding the growing concern over chikungunya cases, the PMC health department has taken various steps to keep the virus in check.

“We undertake regular surveys after a case gets registered. We basically check for potential breeding grounds and destroy them using sprays and other medicines. Awareness about the same is also being increased amongst residents,” said the officials.

Apart from chikungunya, dengue cases have also been rising sharply in the city with 92 cases of suspected dengue registered with PMC’s health department in August so far, out of which seven have been confirmed with dengue.