Travel advisory against visiting areas in India hit by Chikungunya

NST: KUALA LUMPUR, SAT.: Travellers have been advised not to visit the areas in India which have been badly hit by Chikungunya, a viral disease.
There have been thousands of cases of this viral disease in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have also been affected by the disease which has no known treatment.
The virus, spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is generally not fatal but hundreds in India have died.
Health Ministry's Disease Control Department director Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat said Malaysians should not travel to the affected areas unless absolutely necessary.
He said the ministry is closely monitoring the situation in India, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and is getting the latest updates from the World Health Organisation.
“We have not started screening passengers arriving from India, but we advise them to seek medical treatment immediately if they develop symptoms of the virus.”
The symptoms of Chikungunya, also called Chicken Guinea, include high fever, a rash - usually on the limbs and trunk - and severe pain in the joints. The fever typically lasts for two days and abruptly comes down. Other symptoms, like the joint pain, intense headache, insomnia, and extreme tiredness usually last up to a week.
Dr Ramlee said Malaysians must work together to destroy all Aedes mosquito breeding grounds.
“This is not only protect against Chikungunya, but also dengue,” he said.
There was an outbreak of Chikungunya in Port Klang in 1999 affecting 27 people and a few months ago, there was an outbreak in a village in Perak, said Dr Ramlee.