Paris: The French government is bracing itself to tackle a crippling disease which is a very rare type of fever called the Chikungunya Fever, known to be spread by mosquitoes . This fever has already hit La Reunion island and poses a risk of entering into France.
According to the French Health Minister, Bertrand, Chikungunya fever, has already infected one fifth of La Reunion's population , and many returning to the mainland from the Indian Ocean region are also showing signs of the disease, which is transmitted only by mosquitoes.Bertrand has said that a research team is looking into tackling the mosquito menace and is working on a plan to get rid of them.The mosquitoes which can carry this disease have been found in the southeastern part of France and northern Italy. There is a fear that summer will only increase the mosquito menace and spread the virus faster. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin during his visit to La Reunion has assured extra funds and assistance to curb the spread of this virus, for which there is no cure or vaccine yet. La reunion has reported that nearly 77 people had succumbed to the fever.
Chikungunya fever is also prevalent in the islands of the Seychelles and Mauritius with most people recovering, though it is known to be painful
About Chikungunya fever:
This disease was first spotted in East Africa as early as 1952. The fever renders a weakened immune system making the body an easy target for other diseases to set in. The symptoms include sudden severe headache, chills, fever, joint and muscle pains are some of the commonest symptoms. Chikungunya is categorized under a rare form of viral fever caused by an alphavirus and spread by bites from the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The name has its origin from the Swahili word meaning
