Crippling disease sweeps Indian Ocean island

[CaptainK]

(For anybody sailing into this part of the world, should take warning about this disease!!)

Doctors on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion are battling an epidemic of a crippling mosquito-borne disease that has no known cure, French Health Minister Xavier Bertrand said.

About 7,200 cases of "chikungunya" had been recorded, including 1,600 cases last week alone, the minister told the French upper house.

"It is a major public-health issue," he told senators.

Chikungunya is Swahili for "that which bends up" and refers to the stooped posture of those afflicted by the non-fatal disease for which there is no known vaccine or cure.

Authorities on the volcanic island east of Madagascar, a French overseas department with a population of 760,000, have earmarked 600,000 euros (720,000 dollars) to fight the outbreak, including special mosquito-eradication brigades.

[CaptainK]

Epidemic of crippling disease spreads in Indian Ocean island
Thu Jan 26 2006 10:01:26 ET

An epidemic of a crippling and incurable mosquito-borne disease has continued to spread throughout the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, with thousands of new cases reported, a health official said Thursday.

Only in the last week more than 5,600 new cases were reported, taking the total number of people infected by "chikungunya" to 22,167 on the French-ruled island since the beginning of the epidemic last March, said Gilles Brucker, director of a government health monitoring institute.

"We should expect that the number of cases will pass 30,000," Brucker told AFP.

Chikungunya is Swahili for "that which bends up" and refers to the stooped posture of those afflicted by the non-fatal disease for which there is no known vaccine or cure.

The disease is "very painful, very crippling for certain persons" and could be "potentially serious for weak and vulnerable patients," Brucker said.

In several death certificates issued since the beginning of the month, the disease was "mentioned as a possible cause of the death," he added.

Local authorities have decided to postpone for one week students' return to high schools and colleges, initially planned for next Monday after the main summer holiday, in order to decontaminate schools.

[CaptainK]

Indian Ocean girds for spread of incurable crippling disease
Feb 02 1:39 PM US/Eastern

Nearly 2,000 people in the Seychelles have been infected with an incurable mosquito-borne disease that has spread to three Indian Ocean islands prompting health alerts, officials said.

Jules Gedeon, the Seychelles director for community health, said the number of people diagnosed with "chikungunya" was steadily rising since it was first reported in November and nearly 1,000 cases had been reported in January alone.

"We are still counting, but the number is quickly approaching 1,000 for this week," Gedeon told AFP, adding the country's security forces had been drafted for a nationwide mosquito eradication drive to stall the spread.

In addition, the health ministry announced Thursday it would take legal action against people who do not take measures to control mosquito breeding on their property.

Authorities in Madagascar and the overseas French territory of Reunion, where some 45,000 new cases have been reported since mid-December, have reported outbreaks.

Last week, the French government drafted 400 extra troops to help fight the mosquitoes that have been spreading the disease across Reunion since March.

On Madagascar, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) west of Reunion, a health official said Thursday that two more people had shown symptoms of the disease after dozens flocked to a hospital on the eastern side of the island with similar complaints in the past two weeks.

"Two patients admitted today at Toamasina hospital they had joint pains that strongly point at chikungunya," Mosa Milasoa, an official in Madagascar's health ministry, told AFP.

"Chikungunya" is Swahili for "that which bends up" and refers to the stooped posture of those afflicted by the crippling and extremely painful disease for which there is no known vaccine or cure.

It is characterized by high fever and severe rashes, and while non-fatal in itself and most people eventually recover, it can provide opportunities for other diseases to set in.

Health officials in the Seychelles attributed the recent sharp rise in cases of chikungunya to heavy rains that have been pounding the island since December.

No deaths have so far been reported, but it has affected several businesses as infected people have stayed home from work and the transport sector has been badly hit with bus schedules interrupted as drivers fall sick, they said.

[CaptainK]

(For anybody sailing into this part of the world, should take warning about this disease!!)


PORT LOUIS - The number of people in Mauritius infected with a mosquito-borne disease which is ravaging through the Indian Ocean region has risen to 962 from 341 the previous week, the government said.

"Chikungunya" fever, for which there is no known cure or vaccine, has been spreading through islands off the southeast coast of Africa since January, affecting more than 150,000 people in Reunion, Seychelles and Mauritius.

"Cabinet has taken note that 962 cases of Chikungunya have been reported as at 23 February 2006," the cabinet said in a statement after its weekly meeting late on Friday.

The disease, first recognised in Tanzania, is marked by high fever and severe rashes, and while most people recover, it is extremely painful.

The World Health Organization says it does not believe the tropical virus is fatal, but health experts say it can weaken the immune system, allowing other deadly diseases to set in.

The Mauritian government says the situation is under control and is telling the island's 1.2 million people not to panic.

Authorities blame the spread of the disease on heavy rains in recent months and have launched a country-wide public awareness campaign.

Police have also been mobilised to help spray insecticides in areas where cases of the viral infection have been found, and screening is being conducted at the airport.

The island, which is heavily reliant on tourism, has also launched an international campaign to provide information to prospective tourists who may be concerned about the epidemic.

Around 157,000 cases have been detected on the volcanic French island of Reunion, where health officials say there have been 77 deaths directly or indirectly linked to the virus.

French Prime Minister Dominque de Villepin is expected to arrive in Reunion on Sunday to assess the situation first-hand and assure people that it is still safe to go there.

Seychelles, which reported at least 1,000 cases at the beginning of February, says numbers have now started to decline with the end of heavy rains.

There have been no confirmed cases in Madagascar or Comoros.

[samson]

i know it has been awhile but any news on this? what happend? is it completly gone?

[maxingout]

We need to figure out a way for this disease to attack the Somali pirates.

[delmarrey]

There are't many mosquito's out in the Indian Ocean.

[Starbuck]

Wait: are you trying to tell me that there is no known cure? That part wasn't quite clear.

[hummingway]

Seems clear:
"Chikungunya" fever, for which there is no known cure or vaccine

However:
The disease, first recognised in Tanzania, is marked by high fever and severe rashes, and while most people recover, it is extremely painful.

[GordMay]

Chikungunya Fever is a mosquito-transmitted viral illness that occurs in much of sub-Saharan Africa and is currently epidemic in parts of India and the Indian Ocean.

A large outbreak of Chikungunya Fever continues to affect the island countries in the southwest Indian Ocean (Réunion, Mayotte, Mauritius, and Seychelles). An outbreak of Chikungunya Fever was reported from Mauritius in April 2005 and again in January 2006.


Chikungunya Fever ➥ http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/Chikungunya/index.htm

And ➥ Chikungunya Fever, Chikungunya, Chikungunya Prevention

[CarinaPDX]

You might be interested in another thread I started today: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...an-120552.html

Greg