Chikungunya wave in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is reporting a spike in Chikungunya cases in various parts of the country. Speaking to Daily Mirror, Consultant Physician Dr. Achala Balasuriya said that eliminating mosquito breeding sites is the best way to control the outbreak. She also advised the public to pay attention to potential symptoms of the disease like high fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea, fatigue, and skin rashes. Most patients recover within a week, but joint pain can persist for several months or even years, especially among the elderly.
Chikungunya is spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The mosquitoes become infected after biting a person who has the disease. After a short incubation period, they transmit it to other people through bites. The mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and are more active during the early morning and late afternoon. Dr. Balasuriya observed that the virus is not transmitted directly from person to person and that the mark of the current outbreak is a longer time for recovery, especially from joint pain.