40 hit by chikungunya in Pola, Oriental Mindoro

The number of people affected by chikungunya in Pola, Oriental Mindoro has hit 40, the town’s health officer said Tuesday.

According to Dr. Leah Pinafrancia Reyes, Pola municipal health officer, chikungunya cases started to be recorded 2 months ago, but they suddenly increased in the last 2 weeks.

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Those affected by the disease, which comes from mosquito bites, ranging from 30 to 50.

So far, some of those affected have recovered.

Those who get sick include joint pain, rashes, and fever.

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“‘Yong iba [na] may fever, ayaw nila magpa-check up kasi natatakot magpa-check up, baka ma-swab, baka COVID,” said Reyes.

According to Reyes, the situation is still under control and the local government is already conducting misting.

About 6 barangays were affected by the disease, said Pola Mayor Jennifer Cruz.

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Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It is caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV).

A CHIKV infection causes fever and severe joint pain. Other symptoms include muscle pain, joint swelling, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash.

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40 hit by chikungunya in Pola, Oriental Mindoro

Joint pain associated with the disease is often debilitating, and can vary in duration.

There is currently no vaccine or specific drug against the virus. The treatment is focused on relieving the disease symptoms.

The disease mostly occurs in Africa, Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. However, a major outbreak in 2015 affected several countries of the Region of the Americas, and sporadic outbreaks are seen elsewhere.

The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue and Zika and can be misdiagnosed in areas where they are common.

Severe cases and deaths from chikungunya are rare and almost always related to other health problems.

Due to the challenges in accurate diagnosis for chikungunya, the is no real estimate for the number of people affected by the disease globally on an annual basis.

The proximity of mosquito breeding sites to human habitation is a significant risk factor for chikungunya.

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