The government has refused to investigate thousands of suspected deaths from chikungunya while repeatedly asserting in Parliament that no one has died from this viral infection, public health experts say. The disease had broken out in many places in 2006, and at least one city recorded an extraordinarily high mortality. Ahmedabad registered 2,944 deaths over its average during a four-month period when the outbreak had peaked, municipal records show.

during the 2007 outbreak in Kerala, the chikungunya virus mutated into more virulent forms, says a study by researchers at the Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior. The mutations,

The spread of the disease believed to be Chikungunya is now somewhat under control in Addu atoll, the Hithadhoo Regional Hospital has said. A large number of people had become infected with the disease during the start of this month and had to be admitted at the hospital. The Director General of the Hospital Mohamed Saeed said that compared to when the disease had begun to spread it was very much under control now.

Several cases of what is believed to be the mosquito-borne Chikungunya disease has been reported in Addu atoll, the Hithadhoo Regional Hospital has said.

Hundreds of people suffered excruciating joint pains and fever to cast their vote in the chikungunya-affected twin taluks of Sullia and Puttur on Friday. The mosquito-borne disease has reached epidemic proportions in these two taluks. Government health officials who did not want to be quoted said that nearly 40 per cent of the population here might be affected from the ailment.

There have been 1296 cases of common fever detected in the country according to a survey conducted by the Regional Director of Health Services (RDHS) in eight villages in three districts. The blood samples obtained from fever patients have been sent to the MRI in Borella for testing to ascertain the exact illness as the symptoms were very similar to symptoms of Chikungunya, Deputy Director, Health Services Dr. Athula Dangalle told the Daily Mirror.

The wards and the OPD of the district hospital, Matale are full of patients who are victims of the viral flu which is fast spreading in the Matale district. Among the patients are victims of rat fever, chikungunya, dengue, diarrhoea and infections like the viral flu. The patients are from the villages coming under the Municipal Council, Matale who are members of the same family, pregnant women, government servants and children under the age of 12 years.

Over 2,000 families in three areas in the Ratnapura district have been affected by Chikungunya while 500 patients with fever sought treatment at the Eheliyagoda hospital last Thursday, Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said. The Ministry also warned of possible outbreaks of diseases like dengue, malaria and filaria following the rains the country is experiencing. He said the Ministry has made arrangements to control the outbreak under the direction of Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

Health authorities have taken prompt action to stall the spread of Chikungunya in Eheliyagoda on the instructions of Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva, a ministry spokesman said. The attention of the Minister had been drawn to the sharp increase of the new cases of Chikungunya reported from the Ratnapura district in the last few days, he said. Blood tests carried out by a medical team sent to Ratnapura on Monday have detected 75 new Chikungunya cases and measures were taken to provide the patients immediate hospital treatment.