Chikungunya turns epidemic: experts

Amid rapid spread of Chikungunya viral fever that affected thousands in the capital, disease experts on Friday in a programme said that the fever turned epidemic.
Former director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research professor Mahmudur Rahman also called for controlling the

Dhaka North City mayor Annisul Huq addresses a press conference on awareness building campaign for Chikungunya at a Dhaka North City Corporation auditorium on Friday. — New Age photo

Aedes mosquito that carry viruses of Dengue fever, Chikungunya and Zika fever.
He asked the city people to be aware about stagnant water around their houses where mosquitoes breed.
Dhaka North City Corporation organised the programme at its Gulshan office where the city mayor, Annisul Huq, said that people grossly blamed the city corporation for the spread of the disease but they had nothing to do to control the disease.
Annisul said as the mosquito breed in stagnant water in houses, the city corporation was not responsible for the disease.
Mosquito control is one of the main responsibilities of the city corporation.
Recently, health minister Mohammad Nasim blamed both the city corporations in Dhaka for the disease and said that for the failure of the government agencies Chikungunya became alarming.
The mayor said that it was not for the city corporation to hang mosquito nets in the residences of the city dwellers, rather they should be aware to protect themselves. 
The mayor mentioned initiatives taken by the city corporation to prevent mosquito.
He said that city corporation was taking crash programmes every three days instead of five days engaging a huge manpower.
‘Whatever we have failure or not, as a mayor of this city I am sorry to the people,’ said the 
mayor.

Dhaka South City mayor Sayeed Khokon with senior citizens distributes leaflets among city dwellers to raise awareness regarding Chikungunya on Dhaka South City Corporation office premises on Friday. — Focusbangla photo

IEDCR confirmed that 2,028 people suffered from Chikungunya in the capital alone between April and June while the National Health Crisis Management Centre reported at least 564 dengue cases in the capital in first 11 days of the current month.
Among others, DNCC chief executive officer Mesbahul Islam, chief health officer Brig Gen SMM Saleh Bhuiyan, chief waste management officer commodore MA Razzak, chief engineer Brig Gen Md Syeed Anwarul Islam, entomologists Tauhiduddin Ahmed and Dr Manjur A Chowdhury were present. 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net