Epidemic in Sri Lanka: Chickengunia
July 3rd 2008 00:34
Epidemic in Sri Lanka: Chickengunia
Traditionally the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are Conquest, War, Pestilence and Death. Thus far Sri Lanka has been inflicted with plenty of War, Conquest and Death but finally it seems as if Pestilence has joined the pack.
Chickengunia was considered a rare African disease until recent times and the word literally means bent over like a chicken to signify its most noticeable symptom. Other symptoms include high fever, crippling joint pain, intense headache and a rash. The rash and fever are said to pass quickly but the illness and pain seem to drag on for months.
It is an Alphaviraus that is spread by mosquito bites and this has meant that regardless of position no one can be spared. Merril Fernando, the head of the Dilma Tea Corporation, was recently inflicted with the disease and is now slowly recovering. Many others have also been infected as the spread of mosquitoes goes unabated. Medical documentation claim that the most people should recover in a few weeks but many of the worst effected can be recovering for months. Like Dengue Fever the Chickengunia does sap the entire energy of the body but unlike Dengue is it unlikely to be fatal. However there have been some rare cases where this has occurred. A primary school teacher in Venapora Sri Lanka died within days of showing symptoms. In Ahmadadab in India it was reported in the Hindi daily Chaupal Chronicle that a 60 year old woman died from Chickengunia. In 2006 there were 60,000 confirmed cases in Sri Lanka alone with over 80 confirmed deaths. Today, two years later, the disease is just as dangerous.
The disease seems to have caught everyone by surprise as it spread throughout Sri Lanka and India. In fact India has been reporting thousands of cases if not hundreds of thousands.
It should be noted that Chickengunia is not a Bird Flu and it not spread by chickens but rather it is spread by Mosquitoes in the same way that Malaria or Dengue Fever is spread. The debilitating arthritic joint pains can leave people bent over and unable move.
Editorial Comment:
A friend of mine in Sri Lanka was infected with this disease 6 months ago and to this day is still recovering. Any exertion exhausts her and she needs rest.
I would like to say that such a epidemic was unexpected but unfortunately I cannot. On my last trip to Sri Lanka I saw every reason to expect that something like this would happen. Stormwater drains were recently installed in many districts of Colombo but left as open drains. Stagnant water collects where mosquitoes breed in abundant numbers. Rubbish from houses is literally dumped in these drains. Cabbage collection is done once a week, if that. The main rubbish tip in Colombo has created a mountain of garbage instead of covering it. At the time I was there in 2002 there were out breaks of Dengue Fever but nothing on the scale of this. This was a huge decline from my trip ten years prior.
Just one bite is all it took.
Traditionally the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are Conquest, War, Pestilence and Death. Thus far Sri Lanka has been inflicted with plenty of War, Conquest and Death but finally it seems as if Pestilence has joined the pack.
Chickengunia was considered a rare African disease until recent times and the word literally means bent over like a chicken to signify its most noticeable symptom. Other symptoms include high fever, crippling joint pain, intense headache and a rash. The rash and fever are said to pass quickly but the illness and pain seem to drag on for months.
It is an Alphaviraus that is spread by mosquito bites and this has meant that regardless of position no one can be spared. Merril Fernando, the head of the Dilma Tea Corporation, was recently inflicted with the disease and is now slowly recovering. Many others have also been infected as the spread of mosquitoes goes unabated. Medical documentation claim that the most people should recover in a few weeks but many of the worst effected can be recovering for months. Like Dengue Fever the Chickengunia does sap the entire energy of the body but unlike Dengue is it unlikely to be fatal. However there have been some rare cases where this has occurred. A primary school teacher in Venapora Sri Lanka died within days of showing symptoms. In Ahmadadab in India it was reported in the Hindi daily Chaupal Chronicle that a 60 year old woman died from Chickengunia. In 2006 there were 60,000 confirmed cases in Sri Lanka alone with over 80 confirmed deaths. Today, two years later, the disease is just as dangerous.
The disease seems to have caught everyone by surprise as it spread throughout Sri Lanka and India. In fact India has been reporting thousands of cases if not hundreds of thousands.
It should be noted that Chickengunia is not a Bird Flu and it not spread by chickens but rather it is spread by Mosquitoes in the same way that Malaria or Dengue Fever is spread. The debilitating arthritic joint pains can leave people bent over and unable move.
Editorial Comment:
A friend of mine in Sri Lanka was infected with this disease 6 months ago and to this day is still recovering. Any exertion exhausts her and she needs rest.
I would like to say that such a epidemic was unexpected but unfortunately I cannot. On my last trip to Sri Lanka I saw every reason to expect that something like this would happen. Stormwater drains were recently installed in many districts of Colombo but left as open drains. Stagnant water collects where mosquitoes breed in abundant numbers. Rubbish from houses is literally dumped in these drains. Cabbage collection is done once a week, if that. The main rubbish tip in Colombo has created a mountain of garbage instead of covering it. At the time I was there in 2002 there were out breaks of Dengue Fever but nothing on the scale of this. This was a huge decline from my trip ten years prior.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Really Long Link
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Thanks for comments.
I am sorry but I have to disagree.
DDT was part of the problem as it helped produce stronger Mosquitoes.
The actual problem is open drains, uncovered cess pits, piles of rubbish where the mosquitoes breed.
Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by tlcorbin
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A Global Citizen
Paranormal Paranormal
Is Why
Alaska Chronicle
It'd be easier and quicker to spray than to rebuild their infrastructure and educate the illiterate portion of their population to make use of it once it is in place. A tough call. Spray for the short term, build and educate for the long run; pray that it isn't pandemic.
The mention of the agent orange was a sidebar; mosquitoes hide in tall grasses and other foliage which if kept trimmed back, helps reduce their presence.
Raven
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
I know that a lot of conspiracy sites attribute the ban on DDT as being the responsibility on one person but that it not how chemicals get banned worldwide.
In short they go to conventions and present evidence to argue cases.
So I will leave the DDT issue for another time as it is too big to handle in one post.
When I was in Sri Lanka I managed to avoid being eaten by using nets and repellant evaporators.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
As tempting as it is to suddenly reach for the sprayer I am very reluctant to do so. I do not have the figures on how much DDT is being used in Sri Lanka at this moment.
Since I have been to Sri Lanka several times I am also reluctant to pontificate about what chemicals they should pump into their environment.
However I do see the recently build open drains as being part of a bigger problem that was tackled years ago. Open cess pits were covered years ago for the same reason. In some places you can see the Mosquito lava sitting in the stagnant water. Then along come people and dump their food scraps in the same mess.
Comment by Cibbuano
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What's with the open drains? Have they always been in place?
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Thanks for your comments.
In the inner city of Colombo you do have standard drains built long ago.
The outer suburbs are a different matter. In 1993 most had no street drainage and so you might get sporadic flooding every few years. In 2001-2002 a lot of open drains were built to prevent this problem..
In town centre you will find loose concrete slabs covering the drains but in the back street you will find no cover. One foot wide and about two foot deep. Often used as a rubbish dump because no one has rubbish bins.
Comment by tlcorbin
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Alaska Chronicle
Perhaps if they could be shown how to convert garbage and vegetation into bio fuels, they can turn things around.
Raven
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
If it was that simple the problem would been fixed years ago.
70% of the population can speak English
Literacy over 90%
Education and University are free.
So you are not dealing with an uneducated rabble.
What you are dealing with is a very small group of politicians who only look after their own interests. Pay the right bribe and everything happens for you. Do not pay the bribe and guess what? We end up with major project getting dragged on until they fail.