Mumbai: June 13, 2007 (Wednesday) -  The outbreak of  chikungunya in Kerala has claimed 42 lives and now the experts say that Maharashtra falls the next, it has now been put on high alert.

Taking serious note of 21 patients who have been diagnosed with this deadly viral fever in Kolhapur district in the last two months and others cases in the areas bordering Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the state has sent its joint health director BP Gaikwad to assess the situation in Kolhapur on Tuesday.

As per the claim of government press release, no chikungunya cases were detected. In the month of April and May, out of 891 blood samples taken in Kolhapur, 21 tested positive for chikungunya, said Districts Health Officer Dr PA More.
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However, state government health department officials said that there are chances of chikungunya entering in the state through districts like Latur and Kolhapur. So, the border districts are on high alert, said Health Department Principal Secretary Chandra Iyengar.  

The blood samples were verified by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. BMC officials confirmed that no cases of chikungunya were detected in Mumbai. He also added that patients suffering from chikungunya were found in the seven talukas of the Kolhapur district.

Out of the 20 other viral fever cases detected in Kolhapur, 13 are in control and the remaining seven are under observation, he added. Enough medicine has been distributed to every primary health centre in the area.

Chief Secretary Johny Joseph told DNA that review meeting are being held in this regard. "We are taking all precautions and appealing to citizens to prevent water stagnation and take serious note of the 21 patients found in Kolhapur," Joseph added.