MARIVELES, Bataan- The local government here has declared an outbreak of chikungunya after 100 patients were tested for the virus, Mayor Jesse Concepcion said Monday.
Concepcion said he made the decision upon recommendation of Dr. Danilo Velasco, municipal health physician, who noted the abrupt rise in the number of patients.
“Sinabihan ko si Dr. Velasco na unahing bigyan ng pansin ang mga barangay na lubhang apektado para mapigilan ang lalong pagdami ng kaso sa pamamagitan ng search and destroy operations sa breeding sites ng lamok at fogging,” the Mariveles mayor said.
“Nagulat kami sa bilis ng pagdami ng kaso lalo na sa mga barangay ng Camaya na may 40 kaso, Baseco – 16, at Malaya – 16. Ang ibang barangay ay may anim, apat at tatlong kaso kaya buong Mariveles na idineklara ni mayor na outbreak,” Velasco said.
The health doctor said aegis aegypti, the mosquito that causes the deadly dengue, is the same that inflicts chikungunya, which made its first appearnce in Mariveles and in Bataan.
“Unlike in dengue, a chikungunya patient does not suffer bleeding but experiences rashes, fever and typical na parang nirarayuma at masakit ang mga joints,” Velasco said.
The age of the patients ranged from two years to 70 years, mostly men between 30-40 years old, the doctor said. “Bihira ang nako- confine sa ospital at mostly sa bahay lang. Ang iba nga nagsasabing magaling na sila at ang natitira na lang masakit ay ang daliri nila,” he said.
But Velasco said that although not as deadly as dengue, chikungunya should not be taken for granted. “Kung mahina ang resistansiya ng pasyente, baka magdulot ng malalang kumplikasyon,” he said.
He said that they apply the same procedure like in dengue in examining patients. “Blood test, platelet count to be sure if it is dengue or chikungunya. Kapag normal ang platelet count, mas malamang na chikungunya na,” Velasco said.
The municipal health doctor said the virus might have been brought to Mariveles by transients from areas in Luzon affected by chikungunya.
Mariveles is home to more than 60 multinational fi rms where workers from all over Luzon are employed.
“Baka dala ng mga tao mula sa lugal na apektado ng chikungunya pero ang malinaw, marami pang lamok sa Mariveles lalo na sa Camaya na kailangang puksain sa pamamagitan ng kalinisan. Sa utos ni Mayor Concepcion, panay ang paalaala namin sa 18 barangay na panatilihin ang kalinisan,” Velasco said.
Dr. Luz Velasco, Camaya health physician, said they have recorded 40 patients affected by chikungunya in the barangay. “Nilalagnat, masakit ang kasu-kasuan, tuhod, talampakan at joint at may rashes ang mga pasyente,” she said.
