Health advisory to prevent Chikungunya, Dengue and viral fever

“Viral fever has shown an increasing trend in the past 4-5 weeks. There is no reason for anyone to panic, as these are seasonal viral illnesses and can be managed at home with some care and precautions.

Despite discomforting symptoms, Chikungunya is essentially a benign and self-limiting disease and most of the cases can be managed at home with fever medication like paracetamol and adequate and appropriate hydration or water intake depending upon age and other illnesses e.g. Heart ailments and kidney diseases. Children less than one year, elderly, immuno-compromised patients, and those with associated neurological, cardio vascular and respiratory problems are at high risk for complications.

Chikungunya per se is rarely fatal however it is important to note that the clinical course of Chikungunya in these vulnerable age groups with associated other illnesses especially chronic illness like Diabetes, heart diseases, kidney ailments etc. As mentioned earlier, may be stormy and it is difficult to determine as to how much each associated illness contributes towards the negative outcome of the patient, despite optimal management, as it has happened in only 5 of the cases admitted at Apollo Hospital with Chikungunya fever during the past 4-5 weeks period. Out of these five patients, four patients were elderly with associated preexisting chronic illnesses like chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension , coronary artery ( heart) disease and old age debility etc. Three of these cases were from outside Delhi.

The mainstay for prevention of spread of diseases like Chikungunya and Dengue is to prevent mosquito bites by using window / door screens, using mosquito nets, wearing full sleeve shirts and long pants, using insect repellent creams / vaporizers, maintaining cleanliness and checking breeding of mosquitoes by not allowing water to stagnate anywhere near our dwelling or work places.”