Chikungunya makes a comeback

Two cases in Teachers' Estate suggest that virus may have taken root even as NEA conducts a fresh blitz
Shuli Sudderuddin , Stacey Chia , Terence LeeStraits Times 8 Jun 08;

Mr Lau Gar Ning, 66, who lives in Teachers' Estate, heard the news yesterday that two cases of chikungunya fever had been found there.

The resident of the private housing estate, which is off Upper Thomson Road, is concerned about his resistance to the disease. He came down with dengue fever six months ago.

Chikungunya fever also surfaced here in Little India in January. It has since been contained there.

The mosquito-transmitted virus can be fatal, although it is usually not so.

In the Little India outbreak, the 13 victims had lived or worked there. Although all of them had contracted the ailment locally, some of the victims were foreigners. All have recovered.

But this new outbreak has sprung up in another location. And it looks as if the virus has been transmitted locally as well, because neither victim had travelled overseas recently. This raises some worry about the virus having taken root here.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that, with the two new cases, there were now 23 incidents of chikungunya this year.

It said that the virus had been detected once again on June 3, when a retiree, aged 86, visited a doctor. She was briefly hospitalised. A maid from the same household was diagnosed with the fever on June 5. Both are recuperating at home.

The MOH said that both had not travelled recently. A ministry spokesman said: 'Someone could have been bitten overseas, come back with the virus in his blood and been bitten by a mosquito, which went on to bite the two patients.'

The Government wants to prevent the virus from taking root locally, as it is not as well studied as dengue. Evidence has shown that the virus may have become more deadly.

Travellers may also bring the virus in. The Aedes mosquito, which transmits chikungunya, flourishes here.

Twenty officers from the National Environment Agency (NEA) have been in the area since June 5, inspecting every household and spraying the premises with insecticide.

So far, they have surveyed 150 households, including the 57 that make up Teachers' Estate. They have detected and destroyed 13 breeding sites. Those found to have harboured breeding sites will be fined $200.

Signs requesting inspection were put up on the doors of those who were not at home.

The NEA team will continue to inspect the estate and the nearby area until they have been declared free from the chikungunya virus.

MOH officers have also been screening residents and workers there since June 5.

When The Sunday Times visited the estate yesterday, it found a team of eight officers giving free blood tests to residents.

It takes about a day to process the samples.

A light downpour prompted a resident at 25, Li Po Avenue to offer the use of his porch for the health screening.

The retiree, who wanted to be known only as Mr Liew, said: 'I did this as a friendly gesture because I know quite a few of the neighbours.'

Meanwhile, Mr Lau, who lives in Kalidasa Avenue, has another worry.

'I'm quite worried about my daughter, who came to stay with us over the week. My wife has since tried calling her but we still haven't reached her,' the engineer said.

He added that his family was conscientious about keeping their house mosquito-free and would continue to do so.

Both the MOH and the NEA said that they could not comment on how big the problem was until they received the test results.

Anyone who has visited the Teachers' Estate recently and developed a fever should consult a doctor.