Chikungunya Cases Surge In Tamil Nadu; State Health Department Issues Alert

The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) has issued a statewide alert following a noticeable increase in chikungunya cases across several districts, particularly in southern and coastal regions.

Health officials said heightened vigilance is essential as seasonal conditions remain favourable for mosquito breeding.

The advisory reported a rise in chikungunya cases in Chennai, Villupuram, Tenkasi, Theni, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Ariyalur.

Patients have reported high fever, severe joint pain, muscle aches and extreme fatigue, prompting authorities to emphasise early detection and prompt treatment.

To curb transmission, the department directed district and city health officials to intensify surveillance in fever-prone areas and collect adequate blood samples for confirmation through IgM ELISA tests.

The department made timely reporting by all government and private hospitals and diagnostic laboratories mandatory, warning that delays could hasten community spread.

It instructed hospitals to keep designated dengue and chikungunya wards mosquito-free, ensure adequate bed capacity and provide sufficient mosquito nets.

The department also directed sentinel surveillance hospitals and medical colleges to maintain stocks of approved diagnostic kits.

Authorities placed Rapid Response Teams on standby and ordered training programmes based on updated national clinical management guidelines for doctors, nurses and frontline health workers.

District Collectors have also been asked to convene inter-departmental meetings to coordinate awareness campaigns and intensify vector-control drives.

At the local level, health inspectors and entomologists will carry out daily larval surveillance, weekly source-reduction activities and regular fogging.

Emphasising public cooperation, officials urged residents to eliminate stagnant water, use protective measures and maintain proper waste management to help contain the outbreak.

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