Delhi, beware: Chikungunya cases on the rise due to spike in mosquito breeding!

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Although Delhi has witnessed a lot of relief from the monsoon rains, it has come with a price – a spurt in mosquito breeding.

This spike in mosquito breeding has unfortunately paved the way for the spread of diseases like chikungunya.

As per the Times of India (TOI), doctors said apart from 180 dengue-related incidents, chikungunya cases were also pouring in.

Chikungunya is a viral disease spread by the Aedes mosquito, which is also the carrier of dengue. It's symptoms include fever and acute joint pains.

At Max Hospital, Saket, doctors said 50% of the patients visiting medicine OPD came with chikungunya-like symptoms. "Almost 80% of these patients are found positive for the disease," Dr Rommel Tickoo, senior consultant, internal medicine, TOI reported.

"The only difference between treating dhikungunya and dengue is that, while in the former, the use of nonsteroidal ant-inflammatory drugs is warranted, it is totally unadvisable in the latter. So, we also have to first rule out dengue before a patient can be given painkillers because paracetamol often fails to relieve the symptoms," said Dr Tickoo.

The incubation period of chikungunya is usually between two and 10 days and it mostly affects the young.