Chikungunya outbreak declared in North Cotabato town

The map shows the town of Mlang (in red) in North Cotabato and adjacent and nearby municipalities. The local health unit has declared an outbreak of the mosquito-borne Chikungunya disease in M’lang. IMAGE FROM GOOGLE MAPS

M’LANG, North Cotabato — A rural health unit here declared a Chikungunya outbreak in Barangay Poblacion A after 50 patients were found positive of the disease.

Dr. Glecerio Sotea, municipal health officer,  said results of tests by the Regional Institiute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) based in Manila showed the patients’ blood samples were positive of the mosquito-born virus.

“The RITM confirmed that the blood samples we sent to them showed that Chikunggunya was behind the illness of our constituents in Mlang,” Soptea said.

Sotea said the number of Chikungunya patients could increase as more residents come to hospitals complaining of body aches and fever, among the disease’s symptoms. CBB/rga