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By Ben Serrano,
Correspondent

BUTUAN City — Fifteen persons were hospitalized out of 78 cases of Chiku-ngunya, an illness caused by a virus that spreads through mosquito bites like Dengue fever that hit Caraga Region lately particularly in Espeanza, Agusan del Sur.

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Department of Health regional director for Caraga Region Dr. Jose Llacuña, Jr. however told the Gold Star Daily blood samples from 78 persons affected by Chikungunya were sent at the DOH central office laboratory in Manila for further testing also for further medical confirmation.

Whether it is Chiku-ngunya really or Dengue Fever since both diseases showed almost the same symptom.

“But locally here at the DOH regional office, we confirmed it is Chikungun-ya because of the symptoms shown by the 15 patients hospitalized and the remaining 63 persons affected by it. Their symptoms were fever and joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, and skin rashes” Llacuna added.

Llacuna said symptoms of Chikungunya are similar to those of dengue, another disease spread by mosquitoes.

Llacuna said the DOH-Caraga regional office sent medical team and quick response team to help the local government unit of Esperanza in Agusan del Sur to contain the Chikungunya disease.

“One of the findings of our team was that the problem of sanitary and cleanliness. That’s why we ordered the affected communities and their respective leaders to clean their surroundings”, Llacuna added.

“Actually we thought that 78 cases in Esperanza town were dengue but we found out on the patients there were no signs of blood hemorrhages. But still we sent our main laboratory in Manila the blood samples we have taken from the patients for further testing and study,” Dr. Llacuna added.

 

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