Chikungunya Outbreak in Nagpur: Insights from Dr. Utkarsh Shah of Arihant Hospital

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Nagpur: After an eight-year hiatus, Chikungunya has re-emerged in Nagpur, with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) health department reporting 107 suspected cases. Of these, 39 have been confirmed through ELISA tests. Medical professionals suspect that the actual number of cases is much higher due to underreporting.

The city previously experienced Chikungunya outbreaks in 2005 and 2016. The disease, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is marked by severe joint pain, fever, and other symptoms.

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Dr. Utkarsh Shah, a consultant intensivist at Arihant Multispecialty Hospital, discussed the causes, symptoms, and prevention of Chikungunya with Nagpur Today. “Chikungunya is a virus spread by mosquito bites. Symptoms like fever and joint pain usually develop within three to seven days of being bitten. Treatment focuses on symptom management, and most people recover within a week,” he stated.

Symptoms of Chikungunya include fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, rash, fatigue, and nausea. While recovery typically occurs within a week, some individuals may suffer from chronic joint pain post-recovery.

To combat the outbreak, the NMC has increased its efforts by procuring additional ELISA test kits, conducting door-to-door surveys in hotspot areas, and implementing preventive measures such as hand fogging, cold spraying, and releasing gappi fish in wells and coolers. Citizens have cited irregular waste collection and clogged drains as factors contributing to water contamination and mosquito breeding.

With growing public awareness, more people are seeking medical care, and the NMC is intensifying its efforts to control the outbreak.

For more information on Chikungunya, watch the interview with Dr. Utkarsh Shah below.