Kerala, hit hard by a viral fever caused by mosquito bites and 75 people die of chikungunya.The maximum chikungunya deaths so far have occurred in Alappuzha district, a favourite tourist destination in the state. The other districts such as Kottayam, Ernakulam, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram are affected by this disease.

"Reports indicate there are close to 1,00,000 people in the state who have been affected by this disease and Alappuzha is the worst hit. The affected districts are in a disadvantageous position because of the thick density of population as well. While the density of population in the state is around 840 people per sq km, it is around 2,400 in the affected district.

So far, the health department has got 29 positive cases of this viral fever from the State. These include two cases from Vizhinjam and 17 from Kozhikode. In almost 80 to 90 per cent of the deaths attributed to chikungunya, and five cases had been confirmed as due to leptospirosis.

Alappuzha, District Medical Officer N.K. Velayudhan in a press release said 1,316 persons arrived at various hospitals in the district seeking treatment for fever. With that, the total number of people in the district who were affected by the epidemic rose to 34,459. Nearly 31chikungunya cases has been confirmed in Kollam District. In Palakkad district Health Department has identified 71 cases suspected to chikungunya fever in the district.

In Thrissur district 69 persons were hospitalised with symptoms of chikungunya, according to the Health Department. However, Health officials said no case of the disease was officially confirmed. In Ernakulam district 69 new cases of suspected chikungunya fever were reported by the District Medical Officer. Most of the cases were from Vadakkekara and Vypeen. Of the 778 cases of fever reported in the district, 672 cases were from Vadakkekara.

Chikungunya effected districts
 
 

 6.Palakkad
 

7.Thrissur

 

     8. Ernakulam

 

    10. Kottayam

 

     11. Allapuzha


 13. Kollam
 

14. Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala Map

Chikungunya Cases in Kerala

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060919/hl_afp/healthindiaviral_060919153832
http://www.newkerala.com/kerala-news.php
http://in.news.yahoo.com/061003/211/684vz.html
http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?category=National&slug=Kerala+struggles+with+Chikungunya+&id=94303
http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/05/25hdline.htm