Protecting yourself against chikungunya

27 Jun 2007, The Straits Times

Question

Name of the Person: Retnam Thillainathan

Will viral fever spread from India to S'pore?

THE report, 'Mosquito-borne viral fever spreads in India' (ST, June 15), said that chikungunya is a debilitating mosquito-borne viral fever and that it is rampant in Indian states like Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, which includes Mumbai, and Delhi.

According to Indian Health Minister P.K. Sreemathi, 'about 7,000 patients have now been identified as having mosquito-borne chikungunya fever, and I will not say none has died'.

Singapore is now battling mosquitoes that spread dengue fever. Two people died from dengue recently.

Singapore is a popular transit/stopover point for many from the Indian sub-continent.

While I am sure that the authorities are well aware of the chikungunya fever epidemic and are taking preventive measures, it would be reassuring if they could state the measures that are being taken to prevent the 'importing' of chikungunya.

Reply

Reply from MOH 

In "Will viral fever spread from India to S'pore?", (ST, 20 Jun), Mr Retnam Thillainathan was concerned that chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral fever could be imported into Singapore.

We share his concerns. The disease is endemic in Africa and several states in India as well as many parts of the tropics. With such outbreaks, chikungunya can be imported into Singapore by infected travellers. So far, we have had eight laboratory confirmed chikungunya cases. All had prior travel to countries with known local transmission of chikungunya.

Since last year, the Ministry has alerted doctors to watch out for chikungunya fever in their patients, and to report them to the Ministry. Patients with chikungunya fever are advised to be isolated from further mosquito bites to reduce the risk of further transmission of the virus.

Chikungunya fever is an acute viral disease caused by the chikungunya virus. We can get the virus if bitten by an infected mosquito of which Aedes aegypti is the main vector. This is the same mosquito that can transmit dengue fever.

The symptoms of chikungunya fever are similar to that of dengue fever which include fever, headache, muscle pains, joint pains, and rash. Like dengue, the disease is almost always self-limiting and rarely fatal.

We strongly advise travellers to protect themselves against mosquito bites by wearing clothes that minimize skin exposure, applying insect repellent and using mosquito coils. At home, we must also be vigilant and take precautionary measures to prevent mosquito breeding around the house and the surroundings. More information on chikungunya fever can be obtained from the Ministry of Health website.