NIH issues advisory on chikungunya

ISLAMABAD: The National Institute of Health (NIH) on Wednesday issued an advisory on controlling and preventing the spread of chikungunya, a disease similar to dengue fever, ARY News reported.

The Ministry of Health directed relevant authorities to take immediate measures to combat the outbreak. It warned that chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.

Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Bharat said chikungunya, is a similar disease to dengue fever transmitted into humans by Aedes mosquitoes

Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Bharat said that most of the cases were reported from Karachi while other regions have also been affected.

The coordinator to the prime minister said that globally most of the cases were reported from Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Dr. Ahmed Bharat emphasised the importance of taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

Earlier in the day, Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechuho said that 140 PCR tests of chikungunya cases found positive this year. Speaking to media, she said that the Malaria situation has improved in Sindh this year.

Dr. Azra Pechuho said that it was revealed that the admissions were being given in Lyari General Nursing Hospital on fake domiciles. “We are going to conduct scrutiny of fake domiciles,” the minister said.

Dr. Azra Pechuho said that objections made over a milk bank constituted in Korangi. “We also discuss the matter with Chairman NADRA, who pointed out the issue of rules and regulations”.