By IANS
Mumbai : The Maharashtra health department Thursday said 22 cases of Chikungunya disease were confirmed in Kolhapur district of the sate.
"Of the 20 villages in Kolhapur district from where an outbreak of the viral fever was reported, we have found 22 cases from only 12 villages, which tested positive for Chikungunya from blood samples tests conducted at Pune's National Institute of Virology (NIV)," said Maharashtra health secretary Chandra Iyenger.
"Preventive measures are being taken for the other villages within a five-km radius of the affected villages," she said.
Health authorities are also monitoring patients complaining of fever with arthritis in Sangli, Solapur and Latur districts.
"There are reports of 25 suspected cases of the deadly viral fever in neighbouring Sangli district and we have sent their blood samples to the NIV in Pune for confirmation," said Iyengar.
Health department officials said joint health director and chief of the chikungunya control mission, B. P. Gaikwad is camping in Kolhapur while another joint health director D. S. Dakhure is monitoring the situation in the Latur circle.
"Since the mosquito aedes aegypti, which spreads the disease, breeds in fresh water, observing a day in the week as 'dry day' by emptying and cleaning dry all household utensils and tanks is one effective measure that everybody must take", advised Kolhapur district health officer T. A. More.